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DR. NEESEN'S
BOOK ON WHEELING

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DR. NEESEN'S
BOOK ON WHEELING

Hints and Advice to Men and Women from
the Physician's Standpoint.

BY

VICTOR NEESEN, M. D.

Assistant to the Chair of Gynecology, Long Island College
Hospital 5 Member Women's Hospital Society } Kings Co.
Medical Society, Long Island Medical Society, Kings Co.
Medical Association ; Lately House Surgeon at the
Woman's Hospital in the State of New York j
Recently House Surgeon at Prof. Martin's Privat-
Anstalt in Berlin ; Member Physical Edu-
cation Society of New York.

Illustrations and Appendix.

NEWAMSTERDAM BOOK COMPANY
156 FIFTH AVENUE, : NEW YORK

Copyright 1899

BY

VICTOR NEESEN, M. D.

^// rights reser-ved.

By lransf»r

D. C. Public Libwry

FEB 2 6 1938

vVililDKAvVN

DEDICATION

To that vast army of male and female bicyclists who have
arraigned themselves against our common enemy "111
health " this book is dedicated with the hope that, if
they have health it may always continue, and if
they have it not, it may speedily be theirs.
Health of the rosy, romping, rollick-
ing kind, with its accompani-
ment of jubilant and
sparkling spirits.

CONTENTS.

Introductory. — Bicycling Considered as an Exercise.

CHAP. PAGE.

I. Hygiene 13

Costume. Position. Learning to Ride. Correct
Riding. Tandem Riding. Breathing. Food and
Drink. Baths. Training. Excursions. Centuries.

II. Diseases and Ailments 41

Diseases Caused by the Bicycle. Diseases Aggra-
vated by the Bicycle. Diseases Benefited by the
Bicycle. Anaemia, Catarrh, Constipation, Com-
plexion, Dyspepsia, Headache, Hysteria, Insomnia,
Melancholia, Obesity, Torpid Liver, etc., etc.

III. The Bicycle for Women 54

Effect on Dress. Effect on Health. Effect on Fe-
male Diseases. Style of Wheel. Style of Saddle.
Costumes. Position.

rv. Morality of the Bicycle 80

Short Skirts. Sunday Riding. Bicycle Manners.
Drinking. Flirting.

V. Appendix 91

How to Select a Bicycle. Care and Management of
a Machine. Parts of a Wheel. Table of Value and
Digestibility of Foods.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE

1. Scorcher's Position — " Racers " 15

2. Wrong Position—" Upright " 16

3. Correct Position — " Inclined " 17

4. Combination Tandem 24

5. Loop Frame Tandem 54

6. Long Skirt Costume. — Wrong Position 63

7. Luey Costume — Correct Position 68

8. Bloomer Costume — Wrong Position 72

9. Diamond Frame Tandem 80

10. Knickerbocker Costume — Female Scorcher 82

PREFACE.

I HAVE recently met with several cases of sickness
produced by bicycle riding. And I have recently
read a few magazine articles on the dangers of
bicycling. And I have all along, ever since
wheeling became popular, observed so many peo-
ple of both sexes who did not derive benefit from
their exercise, because of a lack of knowledge of
the correct method of riding, that I am con-
strained to take up my pen, with much diffidence,
and endeavor to show those who do not ride prop-
erly wherein lies their fault ; to explain to those
who suffer bad effects from wheeling how to pur-
sue this captivating sport with profit to their
health ; and to satisfy those who have eschewed
the pleasure which all their friends are enjoying,
because of the doubt whether it is good for them,
— that wheeling, when properly indulged, is the
grandest institution of the nineteenth century.

INTRODUCTORY.

BICYCLING CONSIDERED AS AN EXERCISE.

Medical authorities, with few exceptions, agree
that bicycling is an excellent form of exercise.
Some claim that it is general in its effects, others
that certain parts of the body only are developed,
and the '^ exceptions" hold that it is detrimental
to the health in toto and ought never to be in-
dulged, except after consultation with a physician.
Of course it all depends on the point of view.
Each one is right in a way. It is a general exer-
cise if followed in the proper manner. It is a
special exercise if pursued in the wrong way. It
is distinctly detrimental to those who have cer-
tain physical defects, who assume hurtful posi-
tions, or who injudiciously ignore the limit of
their physical powers.

Few of its advocates have taken the trouble to
explain how or why it is a general exercise. The
reason may possibly lie in the fact that most peo-
ple find it out for themselves when they learn to

9

10 INTRODUCTORY.

^ride. After a few rides the novice finds that his
muscles are aching all over his body from his
neck to his ankles. And if he has been foolish
enough to have undertaken a long ride at first he
will find that the slightest movement of his trunk
will cause him pain. But the argument is raised
that after the initial stages the development of the
muscles above the waist ceases ; thenceforth the
legs and thighs only are involved, and of these
only the extensor muscles do the work.

It is necessary carefully to disprove this argu-
ment ; for to reject it without consideration is to
brand oneself an unreasoning enthusiast. It is
true that bicycling is not a perfect all-round
exercise. There is no one exercise in existence
that is perfect. Swimming comes nearest to per-
fection and I consider bicycling comes next.
The lower extremities are certainly exercised the
most in bicycling as they are also in swimming. If
the upright position is assumed in cycling, the
muscles of the back are not used any more than
in walking. But if the correct position — i. e.
the inclined position — which is described in the
first chapter is maintained, the muscles of the
back are used pretty much as they are in swim-
ming. A person in this position constantly exer-
cises most of the muscles of the whole body. The

INTRODUCTORY. 11

forward inclination of the body necessitates erec-
tion of the head by the muscles at the back of the
neck. The back is kept perfectly straight by the
muscles of the back. The weight of the thorax
is supported partly by the arms (muscles of
shoulders). The arms are kept straight by the
extensor muscles of the arms. In climbing hills
slight traction is made on the handle bars (flexor
muscles of arms). The accelerated breathing
necessitates increased use of chest and abdomen
(muscles of respiration). The downward push of
pedals brings into play the extensor muscles of
thigh and leg. The backward push of pedals
exerts the muscles of calf of leg and ankle. The
return of leg to flexed position calls into action
the flexor muscles of thigh and leg.

By this summary it will be seen that practially
the only muscles left out are the swinging muscles
of the arms. So much for the complete refuta-
tion of the charge that wheeling develops only
one set of muscles.

Of the effect of wheelings on the general health
the following pages will treat. Suffice it to say
here that an ordinarily healthy individual who
takes to wheeling with a desire to do it properly
and in moderation will find his health improve as
the legitimate sequence of fresh air in his lungs,

12 INTRODUCTORY.

stimulation to his nervous system, acceleration of
his circulation, improved nutrition to his organs,
and the perfect elimination of those waste prod-
ucts of combustion which, if retained, facilitate
the entrance of disease.

WHEELING.

I. HYGIENE.

Fashion has declared wheeling to be *' au
fait " ; physicians have asserted that it is health-
ful ; proper mounting and correct costume have
made it becoming, and nothing now remains to
deter one from indulging in this exhilarating
pastime but the price — and that is rapidly arriv-
ing at a sum within the means of every one. If
you have abstained thus far from mounting the
silent steed and following your friends and neigh-
bors along the smooth roads and sunny paths of
the suburbs, or the picturesque highways of the
country, we will suppose that all your doubts have
been removed and you have decided to learn to
ride.

The first thing in order is to secure your wheel,

and a few hints relative to its selection have been

vouchsafed in the appendix to this volume.

13

14 WHEELING.

Having purchased your wheel you will he next
concerned about your costume. Many changes
have been wrought in costume since bicycling first
came into favor. The present regulation costume
is the outgrowth of many experiments, and is the
most serviceable and becoming that could be cre-
ated. It consists of a French flannel shirt with a
flowing tie ; knickerbocker breeches called bloom-
ers, terminating in a wide band which buckles
just beneath the knee, and held up by a leathern
belt at the waist ; stockings of the Golf type — a
plaid with a turnover at the calf ; low shoes of
black or tan ; a short jacket of the English smok-
ing style ; and a cap with a peak, made of any
soft stuff, preferably of the same goods as the
suit.

The next thing is to adjust your wheel to your
person, so that your position may be correct, and
so render the task of learning to ride easier. Full
directions on this subject are given in the appen-
dix, under the heading ^^How to Select a
Wheel."

The position the rider assumes on his wheel is
of vast importance in many respects. His health,
his endurance, his control of the wheel, his power
of propulsion, his speed, are all dependent upon
his position in the saddle. Of such vital impor-

Racing Position — " Bicycle Face

PHOTO BY BUTLER

— Page i§.

HYGIENE. 15

tance is this mooted subject, that a great many
articles relative to it have found their way into
print. Authorities on health and authorities on
wheeling have each had their say, and the public
is left to choose for itself.

There are three distinct positions recognized :
viz., the ^^ upright," the ''inclined," and the
''scorcher's." All the authorities unite in con-
demning the scorcher's position, except for
racer's use. Then opinion is divided between the
other two. It is regrettable that most of the
medical men have favored the upright position
and have strongly condemned the inclined posi-
tion as little better than the scorcher's. On the
other hand, practical bicyclists and a few physi-
cians who have studied the subject, affirm that
the inclined position is the only correct one. It
may be all right in theory to "sit up straight,"
but sitting in a bicycle and sitting in a chair are
two separate and distinct things, and are incom-
parable. When I range myself with the practical
bicyclists and firmly assert jthat the only correct
position is the inclined one, I am fully aware that
I have much weighted opinion against me and I
will have to prove my assertion.

I will first consider the upright position and
endeavor to show how it is faulty. We will take

16 WHEELING.

any rider at random, on the boulevard, who
affects the upright position and analyze his move-
ment. His handle bars are curved up instead of
down, his elbows slightly bent, and his arms sup-
port none of his body weight. His saddle is well
back over the rear wheel and he sits quite up-
right. All the weight of his body is in his saddle,
and of course that must be very comfortable or
he will be sore after riding a short distance in it.
His pedals are so far in advance of his seat that
his leg to the knee is perpendicular and follows
the pedal up and down like a pump-handle. The
sole power of propulsion is the muscular exertion
of the thigh and hip. The weight of the body
instead of being a help is a hindrance — a dead
weight. Now watch this rider go up a hill, and
you will see him go slower and slower, and puff
and blow and pull on his handle-bars, as though
he were pulling himself up by his hands.

The disadvantages of the upright position are
more apparent in women than in men. As a
rule a woman is liable to have her saddle too low
as well as too far back, which makes the knee-
action more pronounced. Then her handle bars
are more likely to be curled up and she probably
rides too high a gear. When she attempts the
hill it will be a repetition of the old story — she

PHOTO BY BUTLER

Upright Position (male) — High Handle Bars

— Page 1 6.

PHOTO BY BUTLER

Correct Position — Diamond Frame Wheel — Ram's Horn Handle Bars

—Page ly.

HYGIENE. 17

will get very red in the face and finally dismount
and walk up.

Now, for a consideration of the inclined position
and its advantages. We will suppose that your
wheel is properly adjusted : that is, that your
frame and crank bar are of suitable length, that
the rear edge of your saddle is about twelve
inches back of a plumb line dropped through the
crank hanger, and that the handle bar curves
slightly down, leaving the cork handles a half
inch below the level of the seat. If your wheel
is so adjusted you will naturally assume the
correct position. Your back will form an angle of
sixty degrees with the horizon. The back is kept
perfectly straight from the neck to the hips and
the head is slightly extended. The arms are also
kept perfectly straight, for they support about
twenty per cent, of the body weight when the
wheel is at a stand-still. The hands should not
be too far apart but come straight dov/n from the
shoulder. The ball of the foot only should be
placed on the pedal and the heel slightly raised.
The knees are kept in close to the machine.

When you have once ridden in this position you
will appreciate its advantages. Briefly stated they
are as follows : — The center of gravity of the body
weight is directly over the crank wheel, where

18 WHEELING.

it belongs. Several objects are thus effected.
The weight is equally distributed between the two
wheels ; the power of the weight is added to the
power of the muscular action, for the rider is
directly over his work, and his weight can be con-
centrated over either pedal ; the body weight
being distributed between the three points, saddle,
handle bar and pedal, there is less danger of a
blow to his perineum, in going over a bump, for
he can rise in his stirrups, as it were, which he
could not do in the upright position. The wheel
is more easily controlled when there is some
weight on the handle bar ; its head is not so free,
to use a turf expression. It is more easily
mounted and, in case of a fall, the rider can more
quickly and safely jump from the machine.
And incredible as it may seem, there is less tend-
ency to back-ache from the inclined position than
from the upright. The element of lessened re-
sistance to the wind might be considered another
advantage of the inclined position.

The objection to this position usually advanced
by physicians, that the chest is cramped and
the lungs compressed, has no foundation in fact.
The back is not humped : it is held perfectly
straight. The shoulders are not rounded : if any-
thing they are pushed back. Then the head is

HYGIENE. 19

extended, which gives the chest even further lib-
erty. The muscles at the back of the neck are
constantly used, exerting a corrective influence
to any stooping tendencies of the individual.
In fact physical culturists place great importance
on the development of the neck muscles when
they desire to correct forward drooping of the
head, familiarly known as student's droop.

Two objections to this position are voiced by
the female contingent. ^' The weight on the
arm," says one ; ^^ I know my arms could never
stand it." Which may be dismissed with one
sentence. The weight is only felt by the arms at
a stand-still or very slow pace. When the pace
gets to be six or seven miles an hour, the weight
is transferred to the pedals, for it is needed for
the work to be done.

*' But I am sure I would not look well that way.
It is ungraceful. " Which depends upon the point
of view. Custom and habit are responsible for a
good many of our ideas of grace, style, and pro-
priety. Once let the inclined position come into
general vogue and you will wonder how you ever
permitted yourself to ride through the street in
the old awkward way.

Learning to ride is not such a *^bete noir," if
you are properly coached. The best way is to at-

20 WHEELING.

tend some good instruction school where in a few
lessons you will learn enough to finish by yourself.
Some of the bicycle manufacturing firms have
established riding academies where instruction is
given free to purchasers of their wheel. If, how-
ever, you are so situated that you cannot attend
one of these schools, the next best thing is to
secure the services of a strong, patient friend and
go to a smooth, unfrequented road, and with a
firm determination to persevere until you suc-
ceed, start in.

The first thing to be learned is the art of falling.
No matter how long you wheel, there is always
the chance of a tumble, and if you know how to
fall properly, you may save yourself some bruises
and perhaps cuts or fractures. When you are
sure you are going to fall, and not before, for you
can often save yourself by clever manipulation of
the steering apparatus, then abandon the wheel
and save yourself. A wheel is less likely to be-
come injured in falling by itself, than in your
falling upon it. Let go of the handle bars, take
your feet off of the pedals, stick out the foot of
the side to which you are falling, and curl up the
other. You will then clear your wheel and land
on your feet.

Balancing one's self on the wheel is thought by

HYGIENE. 21

beginners to be the first essential. They are
entirely wrong. The body should not be swayed
from side to side to preserve the balance. When
the right position is assumed, the body from the
hip up should be held perfectly still ; the balanc-
ing is done by steering the front wheel to the side
toward which you are falling.

If you have the assistance of a friend, you will
not have to learn how to mount first. Otherwise
you will. In learning to mount, head your wheel
for the down grade, place your left foot on the
little projection on the rear axle, shove off with
the right foot, raise up on your left foot, and bal-
ance that way until the right pedal rises to its
height, then place the right foot on it, glide into
the saddle and seek the left pedal with the left
foot. Experts are in the habit of mounting di-
rectly from the pedal as a horse is mounted.
This requires considerable skill. Dismounting,
however, is done from the pedal. Just as the pedal
reaches it lowest level, and is about to rise, stand
up on it and fling the othei; leg over the saddle.
Mounting from the pedal is done in the same
manner.

If your friend is with you let him hold the
wheel steady while you mount it. Then all he
has to do is to run by your side, maintaining a

22 WHEELING.

firm grip on your saddle to prevent you from fall-
ing. It is not necessary for him to touch your
body or clothing at all ; far better not to. As
soon as you feel you have confidence enough to go
it alone, do so ; the sooner the better.

When you have once mastered the machine, like
any other trick you will never forget how to do
it. While you are learning it would be an excel-
ent plan to practice gymnastics or calisthenics at
the same time. One reason why wheeling is
injurious to some is that it is attempted by peo-
ple wholly unfit for any kind of exertion. Women
who are in the habit of sitting around, sewing or
novel-reading, will suddenly, on a bright day, take
a long ride on their wheel, without any prepara-
tion for it whatever. Small wonder then if it is
disastrous.

After you have learned to ride, then you can
begin to pay some attention to how to ride prop-
erly. The correct rider moves only his lower
extremities, which move up and down with ma-
chine-like regularity. His body above the hips,
his head and arms are perfectly still and straight.
The ball of the foot is on the pedal and the knees
are close together. As the foot is pushed down,,
the heel is slightly raised. This produces the
ankle motion so often lost sight of. The wheel is

HYGIENE. 23

SO adjusted that when the pedal reaches its low-
est point, the leg is not straight, but slightly bent.
The best results are not obtained when the leg
can be fully extended, and ankle work is lost.

Hill climbing is the best test of a rider's style.
Muscular power does not count so much as one
would suppose. It is a common sight to see a
small boy go up a hill faster than a man. In
hill climbing the ankle movement is called prom-
inently into requisition. It is thus described :
Just as the pedal reaches the top, lower the heel
and push forward, then downward, and as the
pedal nears the bottom, raise the heel and push
backward. Toe clips are of inestimable service
both in ascending and descending hills. They
prevent the foot from slipping off the pedal and
thus losing control of the machine. At the be-
ginning of a short hill, spurt a little to get up as
far as possible before settling down to hard work.
Then bend a little more forward over the wheel
so as to concentrate the weight over the pedals
and play the ankle movement, and you are all
right.

A change of position often becomes absolutely
necessary to relieve the strain incident to main-
taining one position for any length of time. It
is well to have handle bars that curve slightly

24 WHEELING.

downward and backward, for they will then af-
ford two positions for the hands : the ordinary
one on the handles and a forward one on the cen-
ter. It is well also to learn to ride with one hand
and without hands, as in this way a number of
positions can be assumed with relief to the rider.

Never ride with the head down, as you do not
see where you are going and a serious accident
may occur. Always ring your bell when you
are about to pass another rider, and always pass
to his left. The general rule of the road to keep
to the right is an excellent one ; there is some
system about it and others are enabled to pass
you. Always ring your bell before turning cor-
ners, and when turning around in the road look
behind you before you do so. Be careful of sand
and wet or muddy pavements. In going over
them give the wheel its head in sand and hold
it rigid on wet pavements.

In taking the first few rides do not attempt
too great a distance. Going to nowhere and
back is dull, I am aware, but going to some-
where, several miles farther on, may overtax the
endurance and discomfort will be the result.

A few words might appropriately be said at
this point concerning tandem riding. Nothing
is more enjoyable when both riders are good

HYGIENE. 26

bicyclists and know each other's stroke. The
perfect rhythm, the added power and increased
pace, the greater endurance, make it very attrac-
tive to most people. But do not be disappointed
if your first ride is not as enjoyable as you antici-
pated. You will have to ride with the same per-
son several times before you get accustomed to
each other's peculiarities, and so adapt your power
with your stroke so that they will be uniform.
To ride with different people is of course folly,
unless you do not care whether you do all of the
work or not.

To breathe properly is probably the most impor-
tant thing for the bicyclist to learn. Good wheel-
ing depends as much on the knowledge of breath-
ing as upon muscular strength. A philosopher
has said that a horse runs with his legs but
gallops with his lungs. It is certainly the fact
that the record makers in bicycling have lungs of
wonderful air capacity. But it is not essential
to have big lungs if one knows how to use prop-
erly what one has. -^

Theoretically, the wheelman ought to breathe
through his nose, but this is not always possible.
Not to say anything about deformities, obstruc-
tions in the nasal passage, etc., the wheelman
frequently becomes so excited in guiding his

26 WHEELING.

wheel that he forgets entirely about his nose
and breathes through his wide-open mouth. In
the beginning the wheelman has enough to think
about without keeping his 'mind on his style of
breathing, and many think that breathing through
the nose is simple enough and is done automati-
cally, without any thought about it, and it is,
after the habit is acquired. But if you do not
take the trouble to practice nose-breathing, you
will often surprise yourself breathing through
your mouth, especially when your pace is fast.
The injurious effects of a column of cold air com-
ing in direct contact on the overheated and deli-
cate tissues of the larynx, bronchical tubes and
lung structure is recognized by all physicians. It
is the frequent cause of any or all of these diseases,
— Pharyngitis, Laryngitis, Bronchitis, Pneumo-
nia, Inflammation of the Tongue, Tonsilitis, Tooth-
ache ; and it predisposes to consumption in two
ways : — by weakening the resisting powers of the
lung tissue and by inhaling directly any germ that
may be present in the air. The fear of contract-
ing one or more of these troubles alone should
induce the wheelman to practice nose-breathing.
The first condition of its success is to be sure
the nasal canal is entirely free from obstructions.
Many people have polypoid growths in their nose.

HYGIENE. 27

which they know nothing about. If such a thing
is suspected, it would be well to have them re-
moved by a nose specialist. If you have catarrh,
or rhinitis, or cold in the head, they should be
treated, for they are inimical to nose breathing.
If the nasal mucous membrane is hyper-sensitive,
you will have some trouble when the air is cold,
for rapid riding necessitates rapid breathing, and
the contact of the cold air induces a slight con-
gestion and a free secretion, which is nature's
protection to the membrane, and a frequent blow-
ing of the nose is imperative. But when this
becomes annoying, resort should not be had to
mouth breathing, because the nose will get used
to the cold air if persisted in. But if you breathe
through the mouth for a while and then try to
return to the nose, the same trouble will persist.
Most people do not know how to use the muscles
of their nose in breathing. They simply draw
the air in, and if done slowly that is all that is
necessary. But when you exert considerable mus-
cular energy, whether in ruuning or wheeling, or
any other exercise, if you do not use the muscles
of your nose, you will find that the nostrils col-
lapse. You can try it at this moment ; — take a
sudden deep inspiration without using the nose
muscles, and^you will seethe nostrils drawn in,

28 WHEELING.

thus materially lessening the lumen of the canal.
When this happens on the road, the rider is apt to
open his mouth, for it is necessary for him to get
more air into his lungs than his nose allows. This
is precisely the point where a knowledge of nose
breathing saves a man. If you watch a horse
which has been driven hard, you will see his nose
dilate at every inhalation. These muscles keep
the nostrils apart, thereby allowing a maximum
column of air to enter the posterior nares, there to
be warmed and moistened before entering the
lungs. The horse uses these muscles automat-
ically because he has been brought up to run-
ning. The human being has to learn this trick.

If, however, at any time you are compelled to
breathe through the mouth, another little trick
is worth knowing. That is, to place the tip of
the tongue behind the upper front teeth. The col-
umn of air is thus broken and strikes the under sur-
face of the tongue first, which is copiously provided
with large veins filled with warm venous blood and
then circulates in the mouth before it is inhaled.
If you put your tongue on the outside of your teeth,
as is sometimes done, a sudden jolt may make you
bite, it which is not very pleasant.

The claim that the inclined position makes
proper breathing impossible by preventing the

HYGIENE. 29

complete expansion of the lungs has been proven
to be false. The fact that the arms are brought
forward close to the chest does not mean that they
interfere with the lateral expansion of the chest.
The ribs do not expand to any extent laterally.
Their principal motion is up and down in their
anterior aspect. The erection of the head and the
straightness of the back rather help this move-
ment than otherwise.

To keep your health in good order and receive
the best nourishment from your food, you will
want to know what to eat : — what foodstuffs con-
tain the most nutriment ; how long it takes to
digest them ; how soon you may ride after eat-
ing ; what you may safely drink and when.

One's strength comes from the food one eats.
The greatest strength is undoubtedly produced by
the most perfect assimilation of food. If you
have a perfect digestive apparatus, you can eat
anything, and your organs will separate the wheat
from the chaff, assimilate the good, and throw
off the bad. But if your digestion is not perfect,
and few are, you will have to do some of the
separating before the food enters your mouth.

It would be impossible to lay down any hard-
and-fast rule which would fitly govern all people
in the matter of food. ^^ What is one man's meat

30 WHEELING.

is another's poison" applies nowhere more aptly
than here. Each person is constituted differently.
Unless you are in training, you will wisely follow
your regular habits if they do not conflict with
the following general rules.

Give your stomach time to digest the food you
have put into it. From two to four hours are re-
quired to complete digestion, but of course wheel-
ing is not tabooed all this time, or the wheelman
would do naught else but eat and rest. But at
least a half hour should intervene after a heavy
meal before taking to the wheel. Digestion will
then have had time to get well under way and
will progress favorably if too hot a pace is not
attempted. If you are on an excursion, or tour-
ing, and must take to the road right after eating,
it would be well to remember those dishes which
are hard to digest and avoid consuming them.
A table of the time required to digest each of the
common articles of food is appended.

The subject of drink is worth a deal of consid-
eration. The cause of thirst, what best quenches
it, what one should not drink, the opinion of the
medical profession in regard to the fancy drinks,
etc., are all questions which profoundly interest
the bicyclist.

Thirst is the cry of nature for water with which

HYGIENE. 31

to dilute the blood. The method of its production
is as follows : The water in the body is eliminated
either through the kidneys, skin or lungs. When
work or exercise or hot weather is severe enough
to produce perspiration, an increased amount is
excreted, and therefore, to maintain the balance,
an added amount is required, and if not supplied,
thirst is produced. In wheeling all the essentials
are present : muscular exercise, free perspiration
and rapid breathing. There is another element
added in those who breathe through their mouth :
the throat and mouth become parched by the cold
dry air passing through them and resort to fre-
quent drinking is imperative.

The only thing that will effectually quench
thirst is water. Popular opinion to the contrary
notwithstanding, all drinks are valuable as thirst-
quenchers in proportion to the water they con-
tain. Thirst is sometimes masked by the substi-
tution of another sensation : bitterness, sourness,
sweetness, etc., and a person may be fooled into
thinking that a small quantity of a liquid con-
taining lemon and sugar answers the same pur-
pose as a larger quantity of pure water. It would
not be safe to tell everybody to drink as much as
they want, for some would surely commit very
grievous error ; so that a few general rules may

32 WHEELING.

be laid down. Never drink ice water or iced
drinks. Never drink more than a swallow at a
time when you are overheated ; wait until you
are cooled off and then drink all you want of cool
water. During a long ride, stop whenever you
are thirsty and drink a few swallows of cool
water ; ride very slowly after it for five minutes
and then resume your regular pace. You will
be surprised at your increased endurance if you
observe this little trick.

The theory that warm drinks quench thirst
better than cold ones is a warped one. If you
feel warm you would not build a fire in your room
and close the windows. The idea of taking warm
drinks is to drive the blood into the interior of the
body and so make the skin feel cooler, when
nature is striving to do exactly the opposite — to
send the blood to the surface where it can be cooled
off.

The less coffee or tea a wheelman consumes,
the better off he will be. Neither of them con-
tains a bit of nourishment ; they are stimulating
to the heart, and are consequently injurious to
that organ.

As to liquors, whatever you do at other times,
do not touch them while wheeling. Nothing re-
quires a clear head, a steady hand and unshaken

HYGIENE. 33

nerves more than cycling. The same thing may
be said about beer. It is soporific as well as in-
toxicating, and a common effect is a feeling of
weakness after its use. If a bitter drink must be
had, a little quassia or gentian left standing in a
pitcher of water will impart a bitter flavor, hav-
ing also a tonic effect.

Soda water and lemonade are not so good as
plain water in many respects. In small quantity
they do not satisfy, and one cannot drink much
of them because they will produce stomach-ache,
as well as bankruptcy. Vichy would be good if
it were not for the gas — but in that event it would
not be Vichy. Milk is a geo^lfp^
It is nourishing, it quenclies_
agreeable to most everybody.
little lime-water makejj. it iligesl
delicate stomach. Kutt^bfiiiH?:

Of the different fancy drinks, iron tonics, blood-
purifiers, magic strength-imparters, etc., it is
necessary to say very little. Leave them alone,
one and all, from A to Z. JThey are apt to do
you more harm than good. It is true the effects
of Kola and its class are increased strength, en-
durance, wind and general well-being, as long
as you continue to take them in ever-increasing

doses, but when you stop — what then ? Collapse.
3

34 WHEELING.

And it will take a long time for your system to
recover from their pernicious influence.

If you require a drink that shall be strengthen-
ing as well as refreshing, you can take nothing
better than a glass of cool water with a teaspoon-
f ul of Wyeth's Beef Juice in it. The nourishment
in that will be equal in amount to what is con-
tained in a half-pound of steak.

People do not generally understand that they
breathe through their skin as well as through
their lungs. When the skin is clean and the
pores open, the blood is brought close to the sur-
face, in the fine veins and capillaries, and carbon
dioxide is given off and oxygen taken in to re-
plenish the tissues. When on excursions a bath
should be indulged in every morning before the
start. At other times, a bath at the end of a ride
is the most serviceable and refreshing. If a cold
bath is taken, a good reaction of the skin should
be induced by friction with a rough towel, or if
that is not sufficient, with the hands.

Most people will not be foolhardy enough to
plunge their head in a spring or tub of cold water,
or hold their head under a pump, after they have
been riding hard, and are very warm. But some
will, and for the benefit of these, it is referred to.
Such an act would cause such profound reaction

HYGIENE. 35

that cerebral congestion might result. It would
certainly produce head-ache, dizziness, and per-
haps vomiting in any person who was not strong
as an ox.

Another thing to be warned against is going in
bathing or swimming, in the ocean, too soon after
a long hot ride. The system has hardly had time
to recover from the tax of a hard ride before an-
other strain is put upon it in the shape of battling
the breakers.

The subject of training will interest only those
who contemplate entering races. If you have
decided to race, it is necessary to train, and the
first thing to do is, to see your doctor, and find
out whether you are physically sound and can
stand exhausting work, for, if you have some
physical defect in heart, lungs or kidneys, of
which, of course, you knew nothing, they may be
aggravated by training and result in permanent
injury perhaps. You will then save yourself the
disappointment of much self-denial for nothing,
and avoid the risk of collapse after a race.

If you are physically sound it would be well to
enter a gymnasium and consult the director or
trainer. He will advise you what sort of exercise
you need most to put you in good general condi-
tion. Light work, such as vaulting, running,

Q

6 WHEELING.

punching-bag and class work with light dumb
bells, and Indian clubs, and light-weight chest
machines is the best. The idea is not to produce
muscle so much as a generally sound condition.
Three or four weeks of this kind of work will fit
you for the wheel and the road work. It would
be well at this juncture to make out a daily plan,
and follow it rigidly, for much depends on regu-
larity and system ; a good schedule would be as
follows : Arise at seven, take a cold bath, secur-
ing a good reaction by a Turkish towel ; breakfast
at eight ; rest an hour and a half ; put on your
sweater and mount your wheel for a run of ten
miles at an even pace ; upon returning strip (in a
warm room) and rub yourself dry with a Turkish
towel and follow with hand massage. A little
alcohol and witch-hazel, equal parts, is good to
keep the muscles pliable. If possible have an-
other person do the massage, as it can thus be
done more thoroughly and seems to have a better
effect. Have your dinner between twelve and
one and rest at least two hours after it. Then
take to the road again for another spin, which
should not be as long as the morning ride. Upon
returning, have yourself rubbed down, just as
you did in the morning. Have your supper at
six o'clock and go to bed at ten. A full night's

HYGIENE. 37

sleep, say of ten hours, is essential, for the recu-
peration of the vital forces. Your bill of fare
should be constructed about as follows :

Breakfast : — Fruit, oatmeal, hominy or other
cereal, broiled chops or steak, or eggs in any
style, stale white bread, graham bread or toast,
cocoa, or weak tea. Avoid : Fried foods, hashes,
meat-pies, sausage, griddle-cakes, coffee, and
strong tea.

Dinner : — Soup, oysters or clams, roast meats
(except pork, veal, and corned beef), vegetables
(plain cooked or fresh), very little potatoes, dessert
(puddings or prepared fruits). Avoid : Gravy
soups, pork, veal, corned beef or fried meats,
pastry, pies, confections, beer, wines or liquors.

Supper : — White or brown bread, toast, crack-
ers, eggs, or a small piece of cold meat, tongue or
fowl, cheese, preserved fruit, small piece plain
cake, milk or buttermilk, cocoa or weak tea.
Avoid : Preserved or potted meat, hashes, lob-
ster or crabs, sausage, fresh biscuits, strong tea
or coffee.

Eat slowly, chew your food thoroughly, drink
very little while eating, eat enough but not to
repletion, and rest afterward, are all rules to be
strictly followed.

Smoking is prohibited unless you have been an

38 WHEELING.

inveterate, when it is not cut off entirely, but cut
down to just sufficient to keep the nerves from
rebelling.

It will thus be seen that training is not fun and
requires steadfast determination to go through
with it.

It becomes monotonous to ride over the same
road every day, especially if you are out for pleas-
ure, so that occasionally you will go off on an ex-
cursion either with a party, or with one or two
companions. If you go out with a club, you will
probably extract very little enjoyment from your
trip. A few of the strong men and experienced
riders set the pace and the rest are expected to
keep up with it.

The spirit of emulation and rivalry and pride
exerts you to keep it up until you are about ex-
hausted and even then you hate to give in. Most
of the injurious effects of wheeling can be traced
to this source. Most people would not ride too
far if they were alone. If they had to go a long
distance, they would at least stop and rest. An-
other common cause of over fatigue, is the habit
of some to ride out in one direction until they are
tired, forgetting they have the same distance to
return. Then if the wind is behind you going
outj it will be in your face coming back, and will

HYGIENE. 39

require twice the exertion and endurance. When
you start out to ride, you should have some defi-
nite goal in view and know how far it is there and
back by the road you intend to take. If a point is
five miles away by one road, it may be ten by a
more circuitous one.

If you do not enjoy scenery and variety, stick to
the highways and bicycle paths. Otherwise it
will pay you to turn off into the byways and cross-
roads, now and then. The roads may not be so
good, but you will see some of the country which
is perhaps new to you.

A century is a run of one hundred miles at one
stretch. My advice to the average rider is to
never attempt a century. If you ride as far as
you feel able, without regard for the number of
miles, and when you look at your cyclometer, and
find you have made a hundred miles, all right.
It will not hurt you, done in that way. But the
frenzied ambition, so often met with, to run a
century, and brag about it to your friends, is re-
sponsible for many of the bad effects of wheeling.
The idea back of a century, is to make the run
in as short a time as possible. Thereby you miss
the scenery, you do not take time enough to eat,
or drink, or rest, and you put a severe strain on
your muscular and nervous system.

40 WHEELING.

If against this advice, you do attempt a cent-
ury, you will do it with least harm to yourself
by observing the following rules, which apply as
well to all riding.

Take it easy. Do not attempt too hot a pace.
Walk up the steep hills, especially at the begin-
ning of a ride, or take a road to avoid them. Take
plenty of time for eating, and when you are thirsty
or tired, dismount, drink a little cool water and
rest at least five minutes. When you can no
longer breathe through your nose, but must open
your mouth, it is time to slow up, or stop and
rest.

DISEASES AND AILMENTS. 41

II.— DISEASES AND AILMENTS.

The physician regards the bicycle as an agent
for the weal or woe of the physical health.
When the bicycle first came into popular use, the
medical profession did not seriously consider it as
a factor for good or bad, because the general im-
pression was, that wheeling was simply a fad, a
passing fancy, and would quickly run its course
to desuetude, as did roller skating before it. But
the conclusion gradually became dominant that
wheeling had come to stay, and then a shower
of literature on the subject fell all around us.
Some were violently opposed to it, and others
were strongly in favor of it, so that the public,
not knowing exactly what to do, went ahead and
learned to ride, in ever increasing numbers. Then
the clinical cases came in and physicians could
consider the effect of wheeling from practical ex-
perience. Most of those who were opposed to it
changed their opinion, until now there is hardly
a medical man who will not concede the virtues
of bicycling, under proper conditions and limit-
ations.

42 WHEELING.

That the bicycle may prove hurtful to some

people is not denied. Considered as a harmful

agent, it can produce injury in two ways. It

can cause disease in a healthy individual and it

' can aggravate existing diseases.

A violation of any of the rules of correct riding
is the only method of inducing injurious conse-
quences in a healthy person. Of course a great
many people think they are healthy when they
are not, and this statement would not apply to
them.

Health has been defined as the performance of
all the bodily functions by the different organs
without consciousness of their existence.

If a healthy person assumes a wrong position,
sits in a bad saddle, rides too far or too fast,
breathes improperly, etc., they may not become
seriously ill, but they cannot derive the best bene-
fits from wheeling.

The ailments which may be produced by faulty
riding have been alluded to, but it may not be
amiss to mention them again.

Breathing cold air through the mouth may
cause toothache, sore throat, bronchitis, etc.,
beside the bad effects of dust and germs carried
directly into the lungs.

A bent position, where, for instance, you try

DISEASES AND AILMENTS. 43

to sit upright and reach over for your handle
bars, will contract the lungs and produce round
shoulders. The inclined position, however, throws
the shoulders back and expands the lungs.

If you have a faulty saddle, one too narrow or
with a ridge in the center which presses on the
soft parts, instead of supporting the bony parts,
chafing, swelling, tumors, contusions, inflamma-
tion of the prostate or scrotum will be produced.

If you ride too fast, you may get a headache
or become dizzy from the effect of the rapidly
passing objects on the optic nerves, or the sing-
ing of the wind in the ears.

Or, if you ride too far, exhaustion, collapse,
muscular tremors, weakness, headache, insomnia,
loss of appetite, vomiting, nervous depression,
melancholia, or even a mild form of insanity, may
result. The contestants in the six-days' races, in
New York were all hardy, well-trained men, but
most of them showed the effect of such long
riding by exhibitions of despondency, insomnia,
suspicions of foul play, bysterical crying or
laughing, refusing to eat, riding backwards, etc.

But taking for granted that the correct method
of riding is followed and all the rules observed,
it can be positively stated that the use of the bi-
cycle will not only not hurt a healthy person, but

44 WHEELING.

will materially benefit certain chronic diseases,
to be hereafter considered.

But let us first take up the diseases which will
be aggravated by wheeling.

All acute diseases should necessarily prohibit
the bicycle. By acute diseases is meant those
diseases which are of sudden onset, rapid prog-
ress and short duration. For example, a fever,
such as measles, or a cold, such as bronchitis, or
an inflammation, such as rheumatism, is an acute
disease.

If there is a tendency to apoplexy, wheeling
should not be indulged. The excitement and the
exertion might cause a rupture, which might re-
sult in unconsciousness and death.

Bright's Disease in most of its forms. Consump-
tion when advanced beyond its first stage. Or-
ganic heart disease (i. e. when the valves are
affected), are all conditions which should taboo
the bicycle.

Made into a list they would appear as follows :

1. All Acute Diseases.

2. Apoplexy (tendency to)

3. Bright's Disease.

4. Bronchitis.

5. Consumption (after first stage).

6. Dropsy (symptom)

DISEASES AND AILMENTS. 45

7. Diarrhoea.

8. Fevers.

9. Heart disease (organic).

10. Inflammation.

11. Kheumatism.

12. Certain Female Diseases (Chapter III.).
There are also certain conditions of health

which should forbid wheeling. These will be
mentioned in the chapter for women.

As a remedial agent, bicycling is to be con-
sidered as curative and as prophylactic. Pro-
phylaxis means the prevention of disease.
Bicycling prevents disease by its beneficent action
on the general health. We speak of the action
of a drug, and we can speak of the action of a
bicycle, meaning its action on the human organ-
ism— not its mechanical action. Like a drug, its
action can be analyzed, and its character classi-
fied. Also like a drug, it is potent for good when
rightly taken and poisonous when over-dosed or
injudiciously administered.

Classified it stands as a tonic, and a stimulant ;
tonic to the general system, stimulant to the heart
and nervous system. Herein lies the secret of
its beneficent influence on certain chronic com-
plaints.

Diseases become chronic because the system

46 WHEELING.

does not fully regain its normal tone after an
acute illness. Tonics are given with the view of
re-establishing this normal tone and so overcome
the disease. How the bicycle does this is an in-
teresting study and worth careful analysis.

In the first place, wheeling is an exercise — an
outdoor exercise, and as such exerts its greatest
influence ; — for all outdoor exercise is tonic in
action. If people would live more generally out
of doors and less in artificially heated apart-
ments, the increase in their health would aston-
ish them. But for various reasons, out-door ex-
ercise, with the exception of walking, is not access-
ible at all times, to all people. Mountain climb-
ing, tennis, rowing, swimming, base-ball, etc.,
etc., etc., demands a certain season of the year.
Horseback riding is too expensive but for the
few. So that unless one walked all the time, or
occasionally ran, his out-door exercise was limited
to a few months in the summer. And even then
outdoor exercise was not general, because its dif-
ferent forms were not accessible to all.

Is it any wonder that the bicycle was received
with such general enthusiasm. It filled a long-
felt want. It was attractive, convenient, acces-
sible and inexpensive, suitable for both sexes, old
and young, rich and poor ; capable of indulgence

DISEASES AND AILMENTS. 47

at all seasons, except when snow lay on the
ground.

'The first effect manifested by wheeling is
stimulation. The heart beats faster and with
more power. This is necessitated by the action
of the muscles, which, when exercised, demand
more blood, to carry off the effete carbon dioxide
and replace it with oxygen.

The demand for oxygen, which is taken from
the air by the blood while it is in the lungs, in-
creases the rapidity and depth of the inspiration.
The fresh air supplies oxygen to the blood, and
the blood supplies it to the tissues, which become
better nourished through this extra supply of
nutrition sent to them. Thus the organs secrete
more abundantly and perform their function
more normally. Digestion is improved and
physical power is increased by the more perfect
assimilation of the food.

By this somewhat terse explanation it will be
seen that if the circulation is improved, each part
of the body will be benefited. This is the secret
of the success of the bicycle in curing many
chronic affections.

Besides being an exercise, wheeling is a relaxa-
tion, a diversion and an exhilaration. Many of
the chronic nervous affections are caused by too

48 WHEELING.

close an application to business or study, to
mental strain, worry or care. Wheeling takes one
away from the study, the shop, the office, or the
salesroom, with their confinement, or their bustle,
or their perplexities and sets the muscles work-
ing, and the lungs breathing, and the mind at
work in a different sphere : — either the peaceful
contemplation of nature, or the excitement of
rapid motion and exhilarating sport.

Then the effect of pleasant companionship is
not to be overlooked. The social contact of in-
dividuals does much to smooth out the wrinkles
of care and buoy up the heart of despondency.
Brooding over trouble, moroseness, pessimism,
all vanish before the tonic of a good companion.

Wheeling is thus seen to possess the stimulating
effect of exercise, and the tonic effect of relaxa-
tion, diversion, exhilaration and companionship.
It stimulates the circulation and thereby the nu-
trition, secretion and digestion. Eemembering
this, it will be easy to understand how it helps
the affections now to be considered.

Acne (or pimples), Eczema, etc. — The blood is
improved in quality. The activity of the skin is
increased by the exercise and the increased cir-
culation. The action of the wind and sun helps
the process.

DISEASES AND AILMENTS. 49

Diseases of the Head and Nerves : Chorea
{St. Vitus Dance)^ Earache, Epilepsy {fits), Head-
ache, Hysteria, Insomnia, Irritability, Lumbago,
Melancholia, Migraine, Nervousness, Neuralgia,
Toothache. — By improving the general health the
nerves are better nourished. By exercising the
muscles the blood is drawn away from the head.
The relaxation, change of scene, exhilaration —
all rest the mind and restore the balance which is
necessary to maintain health.

Diseases of the Lungs and Respiratory Pas-
sage : Asthma, Catarrh, Consumption {1st stage),
Hay Fever. — The improved general health and
increased blood supply have a good effect on these
diseases. The increased lung expansion coupled
with the inspiration of the fresh air is the best
possible treatment for incipient consumption.
After consumption has progressed, however, be-
yond the first stage, i. e. when parts of the lungs
are solidified, or cavities exist, bicycling is apt to
bring on hemorrhages. It will also cause ex-
haustion very soon, in this^state. Therefore the
wheel should be used by consumptives only after
consultation with a physician.

Diseases of the Stomach and Digestion : An-
orexia {lost appetite), Constipation, Dyspepsia,
Flatidence, Gastric Catarrh, Indigestion. — This

60 , WHEELING.

is the class of diseases most benefited by wheel-
ing. The exercise, the fresh air, the exhilaration,
etc., increase the appetite. The increased sup-
ply of improved blood sent to the organs ele-
vates their tone to the limit of health and the
glands secrete more freely. Thus the food
is better digested and constipation is over-
come.

Diseases of the Heart and Circulation : Ance-
mia (paleness), Fainting Habit, Heart Disease
{certain kinds). — The improved condition of the
blood helps the Anaemia. The only thing to do
where heart disease is suspected is to consult a
physician and abide by his decision. It would be
impossible to instruct the general reader how to
tell what kind of heart disease he has. If you be-
come short of breath on going upstairs, or after
other slight exertion, or if your heart palpitates,
or your skin gets blue at times, or your feet swell,
you would better see a physician at once, for they
are symptoms of heart disease. In all functional
disorders of the heart, bicycling does good. For
instance, smoker's heart is a functional disease, as
is also nervous palpitation.

Diseases of the Liver and Kidneys : Brighfs
Disease (chronic), Jaundice, Torpid Liver. —
The general systemic improvement exerts a ben-

DISEASES AND AILMENTS. 51

eficial effect on these diseases. The liver is more
profoundly affected by horseback riding, but the
influence of wheeling, if not so marked, is at least
good.

General Systemic Conditions : Atony {Ema-
ciation), Debility, Gout, Malaria, Obesity, Opium
Habit, Scrofula, etc. — As wheeling tends to
boost the general health up to its normal standard,
these conditions, which exist only as the result of,
or in conjunction with poor health, are markedly
benefited. Obesity is itself a disease, and as
such will be relieved by anything which tends to
improve the general health. This is one way in
which wheeling reduces weight. The other is by
tbe combustion incident to the exercise. Many
people do not understand how wheeling will make
one person stout and reduce the flesh on another.
Excessive thinness or excessive fatness are both
variations from the normal health standard which
is peculiar to each individual. By helping the
system to approach this individual standard, the
trick is done.

Female Diseases will be considered in the next
chapter.

If an alphabetical list of the diseases which are
benefited by the bicycle were made, it would
appear as follows :

62 WHEELING.

1. Acne (pimples).

2. Anaemia (paleness).

3. Anorexia (lost appetite).

4. Asthma (hay fever).

5. Atony (emaciation).

6. Bright's Disease (chronic).

7. Catarrh.

8. Chorea (St. Vitus' dance).

9. Constipation.

10. Consumption (1st stage).

11. Debility.

12. Dyspepsia.

13. Earache.

14. Eczema.

15. Epilepsy (fits).

16. Fainting Habit.

17. Flatulence (wind on stomach).

18. Gastric Catarrh (catarrh of stomach).

19. Gout.

20. Hay Fever.

21. Headache.

22. Heart Disease (certain kinds).

23. Hysteria.

24. Indigestion.

25. Insomnia.

26. Irritability.

27. Jaundice.

DISEASES AND AILMENTS. 63

28. Lumbago.

29. Malaria.

30. Melancholia.

31. Migraine.

32. Nervousness.

33. Neuralgia.

34. Obesity.

35. Opium Habit.

36. Scrofula.

37. Toothache.

38. Torpid Liver.

39. Certain Female Diseases or Conditions.

54 WHEELING.

Ill,— THE BICYCLE FOR WOMEN.

The advent of the bicycle was a glorious boon
to womankind. Multitudes of the fair sex owe
increased health and lighter spirits to this ingen-
ious nechanism, aptly yclept the ^'silent steed. '^
Time was when women were regarded as chattels,
the same as chairs or bedsteads, and they were ex-
changed and bartered like horses or cows. Ever
since that time woman's emancipation from the
enslavements of habit, custom, fashion and con-
servatism has been continuous and progressive,
until now the bicycle seems destined to annihilate
the last remaining fetter which binds her to servi-
tude and renders futile her effort to be man's
equal, if not his superior in everything save crude
strength. The subject of woman's dress has
occupied the minds of philosophers and dema-
gogues for a long time. In spite of all the efforts
of reformers to change it, the trailing skirt is still
with us — or rather, has been with us until the
bicycle wrought a change.

From time immemorial, woman has been
clothed in the very graceful and modest but

THE BICYCLE FOR WOMEN. 65

very unhygienic and inconvenient trailing skirt.
Whether our great-great-grandmothers regarded
them as a nuisance or not, has not been handed
down by history, so that we do not know, but it is
positively asserted by the women of to-day that
long skirts are decidedly inconvenient at times.
Especially those women who exercise the privilege
of this decade and take part in business declare the
long skirt hampers them in many ways. In wet
weather it becomes wet and muddy and uncom-
fortable and dangerous to health. In dry weather
it sweeps the streets and stirs up the microbes in
swirling dust clouds. But the main objection to
it by the up-to-date woman is its impediment to
the pursuit of exercise in a free and untrammeled
way. So great is the impediment that when
bicycle riding was attempted with long skirts,
it became dangerous, and the alternative immedi-
ately arose either to eschew the bicycle or dis-
card the skirts. So strong had the love of the
wheel grown in the female breast that all the pre-
cedent of ages was thrown to the winds ; the
bicycle was retained and the skirts cut down.
Thus did the bicycle accomplish what reformers
and philosophers and demagogues had striven in
vain to do.
But as important as the reform in dress is, the

56 WHEELING.

bicyle has succeeded in effecting another innova-
tion in the life of women. It has taught her that
the condition of health depends a great deal upon
regular systematic exercise. Not that this is a
new theory just discovered ; it has been recognized
for ages, and its precepts followed by the male sex
generally and a few sensible women who have
organized gj^mnasia and athletic clubs. But it
takes a great deal of strong mind and tenacity of
purpose to swing clubs and pull at weights for any
length of time, and then it is not out-door exer-
cise, and is devoid of the spirit of sport. So that
the scope of the gymnasia and athletic clubs was
limited to the few.

The great majority of women had no oppor-
tunity for healthful out-door exercise, except such
as was presented for a few months in the summer
season. Even then only the few were benefited,
for rowing, or mountain climbing, or tennis, or
swimming, depended upon a trip to the country,
which in itself was expensive if extended, and a
trip of a few weeks was of no material benefit,
for it could not be expected to last over the fifty
weeks of the rest of the year.

Then what was the daily life of the average
woman during the winter months ? Those who
did not occupy themselves with house- work, which

THE BICYCLE FOR WOMEN. 57

is woman s safety-valve for many of her nervous
troubles, were compelled to sit around in-doors,
during the day, reading or sewing or gossiping,
and building up towers of headaches and mount-
ains of backaches ; or perhaps indulging in a
shopping tour, with its constant standing and
walking in dusty streets and dustier stores ; jos-
tling and pushing amidst bustling crowds ; a ten-
sion to the nerves, a strain to the muscles and an
insult to the lungs.

The manner in which the evening to such a
day was spent was even worse. A trip to the
theater means from two to three^ hours in an over-
heated, poorly ventilated room, sitting still in a
narrow seat, often with the street wraps unre-
moved. Many people on coming from a theater
have a desire to yawn and stretch themselves —
signs that the system needs exercise. Men pri-
marily went out between the acts simply to stretch
themselves and get a breath of fresh air. The
drinking was an afterthought. If not to the
theater, perhaps a dance is attended. The same
unsanitary conditions of overheat, bad venti-
lation and dust prevail here, no matter where
the dance is given. If the dancing is done on a
crash or carpet, fine particles of floss or napp are
whirled into circulation, to be inhaled ; and if on

68 WHEELING.

a board floor, although not so bad, still some dust
and fine splinters will find a resting-place in the
lungs.

The evening may be spent in bowling. Women
entirely unused to muscular exertion will attempt
to bowl an entire evening, with the effect that
their right arm is nearly paralyzed before they
cease and remains lame for days afterward
Bowling would not be so bad, if both hands were
used, but as it is at present, only one side of the
body is developed.

If one wants to be convinced of what bicycling
has done for our women, let him compare a mod-
ern, up-to-date bicycle girl with a girl who has
followed a mode of life similar to that outlined
above. The springy step, the erect carriage, the
clear eye, the fresh complexion, the well-balanced
poise of the head and body, all proclaim the new
order of things — the triumph of the bicycle.

Wheeling is an alluring outdoor exercise. It
can be indulged during the major part of the year
by old and young, rich and poor, male and female.
It is a sport which will permit of single solitary
enjoyment or participation by any number of
people together. It is particularly attractive to
women on account of its novelty. It is something
new for them to have opportunity to enjoy ex-

THE BICYCLE FOR WOMEN. 59

hilarating out-door exercise without restraint.
The rapid and easy motion, the companionship, the
competition, the exploration of new country, each
adds its charm. The bicycle has become a fixture
in the life of womankind.

Compared with horseback riding, wheeling has
everything in its favor. In the first place the
position of the rider on a bicycle is vastly better
than that usually assumed by women on a horse.
When women progress far enough to ride a horse
astraddle, this difference will vanish. The at-
tempt to sit on a horse sideways and look straight
ahead is wrong in principle and detrimental to
physical beauty. The wonder is that more cases
of curvature of the spine are not reported as the
result of the present fashion.

The jolting of horseback riding is regarded by
some as good for the liver. This is not denied
here ; but if good for the liver, it is decidedly
bad for the pelvic organs. In wheeling there is
no jolting to speak of.

The cheapness of the bicycle compared with the
horse is apparent to all. The silent steed requires
no stable, no feed, nor any water. Safety is also
a consideration of importance. Although many
cases of bad falls from the bicycle have been re-
ported, they are due to carelessness of the rider,

60 WHEELING.

generally. A wheel will not get frightened and
run away, or shy, or balk, or otherwise misbe-
have, as a horse is apt to do.

Critics, dissenters and moralists have antagon-
ized the bicycle for women for various reasons,
chief among which is its moral influence. This
phase of wheeling has acquired such importance
through sensational discussions and newspaper
articles, that it will be carefully considered in the
next chapters. The other pretext of the critics
lies in the field of health.

The subject is of course an important one, for
everybody prizes health. Especially is this so in
the feminine world. The questions usually heard
on all sides are : — ^'Is it healthful for a woman
to ride the bicycle ? " and '^ Are conditions of
chronic female complaints benefited by wheel-
ing?"

The argument most commonly advanced by the
critic is that bicycle riding is akin to operating
on the sewing machine, and it is hard to under-
stand how a physician can recommend one and
condemn the other.

It ceases to be difficult of comprehension when
the two are analyzed and their differences con-
trasted, for they are as different as can be.

The sewing machine necessitates a stooping

THE BICYCLE FOR WOMEN. 61

posture, similar to that assumed by some people
in writing or studying. It is fine work : the
needle must follow a straight line close to the
edge of a fabric and not run over the edge. Close
application is necessary, and the eye and the mind
are constantly concentrated on the work going on,
at the same time the legs are constantly moving
from the knees down, in a see-saw motion, and
both together. They occupy a position in advance
of the body and support none of its weight. There
is no alternate motion such as the spinal cord is
accustomed to in the acts of walking, running,
etc. Add to this the fact that the operator is sit-
ting still, in a confined, indoor atmosphere, with
no diversion or change, for perhaps a whole day
at a time, and you have before you the fac-
tors potent in rendering sewing by the machine
harmful.

In bicycling there is no stooping posture ; the
eyes are not concentrated upon a spot within
twelve inches of the nose ; there is abundant mo-
tion, lots of excitement, plenty of diversion ; the
legs are under the body, supporting part of its
weight and working alternately as in walking ;
the thigh and hip, and, for that matter, the whole
body, as well as the lower leg, is exercised ; and
the operator has plenty of fresh air and sunlight.

62 WHEELING.

Thus it will be seen the two are incomparably
different.

Another contention, advanced by some medical
men, is that riding the bicycle is apt to render
child-bearing more painful and dangerous than
heretofore. They reason that by increasing the
strength and power of the perineum muscles,
they will more effectually resist the birth of the
head, and instead of the sphincter dilating it will
rupture.

The fallacy of this reasoning can be proved
in a few words. Bicycle riding tends to make
childbirth easier and safer in the following way.
A muscle will perform its functions more nat-
urally when it is healthy and sound. Bicycle
riding tends to bring all the muscles, tissues and
organs up nearer to the perfect health limit.
The natural function of the perineum muscles is
to support the pelvic contents, it is true, but they
are also supposed to stretch easily when required
to do so by the efforts of nature to expel the
foetus. Then the uterine muscles and the abdom-
inal muscles, being healthier and stronger, exert
more propulsive power, which would more easily
overcome the resistance of the perineum muscles.

Of course the healthfulness of bicycling is mod-
ified by the conditions under which it is prac-

PHOTO BY BUTLER

Upright Position (female)— Loop Frame Wheel — Long Skirt Costume —

High Handle Bars

— Page 6J.

THE BYCICLE FOR WOMEN. 63

ticed. The costume, the position of the rider, the
length of the ride and the method of riding are
all factors to be counted in. But taking for
granted that the fair rider is anxious to, and is
doing everything right, the question, ^^Is it
healthful for a woman to ride ? " is simplified and
can be answered with one word, ^^ Yes."

There is no valid reason why a woman may not
derive as much benefit from cycling as a man.
True, she is built differently, but she breathes the
same air, eats the same food, and she has a
heart and muscles that need exercising to keep
them healthy. The theory seems to be perfectly
correct that what is good for a man's muscles is
also good for a woman's.

All that has been said in the previous chapters
refers equally to women as to men. It should
be understood, however, that a woman, being
more finely organized than a man, cannot endure
as much hard work, nor for so long a time.
Therefore her rides should be shorter. She also
suffers more nerve strain than a man ; therefore
her riding should be slower. With these amend-
ments the same rules of hygiene govern the
female bicyclist as the male.

*'But you don't mean that a woman should
bend over like a man ? " Precisely, if you will sub-

64 WHEELING.

stitute the word ^ incline" for ^^bend." The in-
clined position is the only rational one to assume
on the bicycle. The definition of this position
and its many advantages have been carefully
considered in the chapter on Hygiene. If it is
advantageous for a man to ride in this position, it
is equally so for a woman. Even supposing she
is conformed differently in certain parts, it simply
necessitates a change in the form and adjustment
of the saddle — not the position.

In addition to the better control of the wheel
and the greater facility for the exercise of the
power, the inclined position has a correcting in-
fluence on a female complaint which is commoner
than it ought to be in otherwise healthy young
women. Eeference is made to the backward dis-
placement of the womb. The causes which pro-
duce this condition are various, but one of the
commonest is the habit of bending over a desk
while writing or studying. Here the pelvis is
straight while the body is bent at the small of the
back and the shoulders brought forward. All the
abdominal organs are thus crowded down on the
anterior aspect of the uterus, pushing it back-
ward and straining and stretching the round
ligaments which are meant to hold it in place.
Now what does the inclined position on the bicycle

THE BICYCLE FOR WOMEN. 65

do ? It tilts the pelvis forward too, so that its
inclination is exactly the same as that of the
body ; — they form a straight line. The organs
are not crowded down but occupy their normal
positions. The round ligaments are relaxed by
the falling forward of the body of the uterus, and
are enabled and stimulated to regain their tone
and take in their slack, by the increased nutri-
tion sent to them by the healthful exercise.

But if the inclined position is assumed, it is
necessary to have a saddle which is so formed
that it will support the bony points of the seat
(called the ischial tuberosities), and not cause any
pressure on the soft parts. In order to effect
this, the saddle must be wide enough in the
posterior two-thirds to full contain the buttocks,
and narrow enough anteriorly to avoid chafing
the thighs.

This brings up the important question, ^' Which
of the saddles on the market is the best ? " Al-
most every conceivable invention of a saddle is
now manufactured, so that there is a wide choice
and almost everybody can be 'satisfied.

A woman's saddle should be wider than a man's,
and a woman with a wide pelvis should have a
wider saddle than a woman with a narrow pelvis.
Stoutness does not necessarily imply the posses-

66 WHEELING.

sion of a wide pelvis. I have seen very slender
women with very wide pelvis. When choosing
a saddle the best way is to select one which you
think will meet your requirements and then try
it. If it causes pressure or soreness where it
ought not to, change it, for it will be dangerous
to try and break yourself into a faulty saddle as
people break in new shoes. There is a concern in
New York where they fit saddles to each individ-
ual. Impressions of the seat are taken in plas-
ter, and the saddle is constructed after the model
so obtained, and a perfect fit guaranteed.

A saddle for women should not contain a raised
pommel ; rather a depressed one. Some saddles
have no pommel at all, the rider sitting on them
as on the edge of a chair. They are not com-
fortable to riders who do not ride a great deal in
their pedals. The vicious '* center ridge," or
** ridge pole " saddle, formerly seen so frequently,
is seldom seen nowadays. It was the chief fault
of a cheap saddle. The sagging of the leather on
either side produced a ridge in the center which
was the cause of many injuries. The '^ham-
mock " or " sagging " saddle was produced in the
same way — the weight of the body causing the
center to relax.

The adjustment of the saddle is next in impor-

THE BICYCLE FOR WOMEN. 67

tance to its shape. You will have to find out
your own proper adjustment by your experience.
On general principles, for women, and in fact for
all riders, the saddles should be straight — neither
tilted up or down in front. If tilted, the poise is
at once destroyed, the proper support gone and
the adjustment of the parts altered, so that a
good fitting saddle, wrongly adjusted, may be
more injurious than the worst saddle made.

When you first begin to ride you will like a
soft, cushiony saddle, a regular feather-bed sort of
saddle, for you will sit in it with your whole
weight, especially if you affect the upright posi-
tion. But after you have become a proficient
rider, and abandoning the upright position assume
the inclined, you will want as hard and light a
saddle as you can find. The reason is you will
have learned to ride more in your pedals, using
your saddle only as a rest to be leaned against.
Even in horseback riding, a good mount rides in
his stirrups, using the saddle only as a rest.

The costume which is proper for a woman to
wear has been the subject of more literature,
more discussion, more argument and more differ-
ence of opinion than any other one phase of wheel-
ing. Modesty has been pitted against service-
ability, morality against attractiveness, and con-

68 WHEELING.

servatism against progression ; and a right royal
combat was waged until Dame Fashion stepped
into the arena and settled all disputes by pro-
claiming " le habilimente propre" to be a short
skirt, reaching half-way from the knee to the
ankle, and leather leggins or boots. The skirt
was made full and bloomers were worn beneath.

This kind of skirt, however, had its drawbacks.
At times it was awkward, got caught in the wheel
and in the pedals, and was immodestly tossed by
the wind. A few women abandoned it altogether
and appeared in bloomers, but such a howl of de-
rision was raised that the bloomers soon went
out of sight.

At this stage a fashionable New York modiste
came to the fore with a costume which he de-
signed and called after himself, the '' Luey
costume." It consists of a divided skirt so ar-
ranged that when the wearer stands it falls to-
gether and looks exactly like a complete skirt, but
when seated on the wheel, it divides in the back,
to hang down gracefully from the saddle. So
popular has this costume become that it is now
worn by four-fifths of all the female bicylists in
this vicinity.

But whatever kind of a costume you select, be
sure it does not confine the movements of your

PHOTO BY BUTLER

Correct Position— Luey Costume— Loop Frame Wheel— Droop
Handle Bars

—Page 68.

THE BICYCLE FOR WOMEN. 69

body, or constrict any portion of it, for you need
all the freedom possible. Tight corsets while ex-
ercising do damage in many ways. The stomach
and spleen are pushed upward and backward,
against the heart, interfering with its action.
The liver is pressed upon and pushed upward,
diminishing the space in which the lungs expand.
The intestines are crowded down on the pelvic
organs, which are liable to be displaced, and the
pressure on the large vessels causes a stagnation
of blood in the valveless veins of the sexual organs
— a potent cause of many of the ailments pecul-
iar to women.

If the corsets are abandoned and the waist con-
stricted by tight waist- bands of skirts, etc., it is
worse than if the corsets were worn, for the con-
striction then is a narrow string, while the corset
is a diffuse pressure. Health waists are no better
than corsets if worn tight. It is true they have
no steels, and this is an advantage. They are the
best to wear if something of this nature must be
worn. They preserve the shape and support the
back muscles, which are weak in women who
have worn tight corsets for a long time.

It would be better if women went without
corsets, even if they put them on again after leav-
ing the wheel. An immense advantage to health

70 WHEELING.

would accrue, but personal appearance would
suffer, and this is a great desideratum in most
feminine eyes.

Considered from a hygienic point of view, the
best and simplest costume yet devised for women
is as follows : —

1. Union garments of silk or thin wool.

2. Equestrian tights from knee to waist, or
bloomers same as for men.

3. Stockings.

4. High boots.

5. Shirt waist or woolen waist.

6. Short skirt.

Y. Eton or Luey jacket.

8. Alpine, Derby, straw, or Tam O'Shanter hat.

The equestrian tights are made of heavy woolen
and reach to below the knee. The stockings are
held up by the band of the tights or bloomers.
Garters should not be worn, as they constrict the
surface veins and may cause varicose veins. The
boots should fit well and lace snugly to just be-
low the knee. The skirt should be short enough
to clear the pedals. On most women of average
height, this would bring it to a few inches below
the knee — a point entirely modest and very be-
coming. The jacket may be discarded on hot days.
The choice of hat will depend on individual fancy

THE BICYCLE FOR WOMEN. 71

and taste. Derbys are not becoming to all faces.
A trimmed hat looks as bad on a wheel as a silk
hat would look on a man.

Although this seems to be the regulation cos-
tume for women, a great variety can be obtained
merely by the choice of material. Individual
taste and personal requirements will of course be
consulted in this matter, but a tip may not be
amiss. Brown is a color which is most service-
able and looks best under all conditions of travel.
A black suit will become covered with dust and
look nasty ; a blue one will fade ; and so on
through the list of the colors. If a woman wears
a plaid or other loud color, or a combination of
striking colors, she will attract attention and per-
haps incite ridicule or occasion unkind remark.

Cloth or leather leggings, worn over ordinary
shoes, make the leg and ankle look clumsy and
awkward. It is far more becoming to wear no
covering at all over the stocking, and in warm
weather it is vastly more comfortable. Low
shoes with black or tan stockings are getting to be
very commonly worn now.

Sweaters are worn by many women, either with
or without a coat over them. They are comfort-
able on cool days, but are not very becoming.
The combination of a sweater with bloomers and

72 WHEELING.

a Derby makes a girl look very mamish and per-
haps 'Hough," especially if she rides a diamond
frame wheel and bends over like a scorcher.

The diamond frame wheel is much better than
the loop frame to ride on if one's skirt is short
enough. Its advantages are : It is lighter ; it is
more compact and handier to manage ; and it is
easier to maintain the correct position upon it.
If the skirt is a divided one and reaches only to
the knee, the diamond frame may be used with
safety and propriety. To mount it, the skirt must
first be lifted over the saddle and then the mount
made from the rear over the saddle in the same
manner as described in a previous chapter.

Of the effect of wheeling on the female organ-
ism, much might be said and little understood by
the lay reader. Therefore I will confine myself,
as far as possible, to common terms, and endeavor
to explain clearly and concisely the nature, causes
and consequences of the numerous female com-
plaints, and to show how the bicycle aif ects them.

The diseases peculiar to women which may be
benefited by wheeling are : —
Painful Menstruation.
Backache.
Constipation.
Headache.

PHOTO BY BUTLER

Bloomer Costume — Scorcher's Position — Diamond Frame Wheel —
Ram's Horn Handle Bars

— Page 72.

THE BICYCLE FOE WOMEN. 73

Nervousness.

Hysteria.

Malaise, or ^^ Tired Feeling."

Leucorrhoea, or *^ Whites."
The manner in which the bicycle helps these
ailments involves the same principle which gov-
erns its effect on other diseases. The healthy out-
door exercise and muscular exertion, stimulating
the heart and circulation, carries better nourish-
ment to the organs and tissues, giving them a
healthier tone and an ability to perform their
function more naturally. The increase in the
general health exerts a marked influence on local
disease — an effect which prolonged local treat-
ment may fail to accomplish.

Painful menstruation is a female disorder more
common than it should be. Normally this func-
tion should be painless. It was never intended
that women should suffer during this period.
The causes are various, and are mostly due to a
faulty development or position of the uterus and
chronic inflammation of that^organ. The bicycle
will not help it if caused by a tumor or deformity,
but if due to a chronic congestion or inflamma-
tion, the wheeling does good by improving the
tone of the pelvic organs.
Backache is probably the commonest of all

74 WHEEL.1NG.

female complaints. It accompanies almost all of
the disordered conditions peculiar to women.
Some of the more frequent of its causes are : —
Backward displacement of the womb, chronic in-
flammation of the uterus or ovaries, tumors, and
procidentia, or falling of the womb. If your
backache is caused by chronic inflammation of
the uterus and ovaries, it will be benefited by
bicycling. But if there is present a fixed back-
ward displacement it will be only aggravated by
wheeling. If the displacement is movable, and
the womb is placed forward by your physician,
and treated locally, discreet bicycle exercise is im-
mensely valuable and may exert a complete cure.
The bicycle cannot help the backache caused by
tumors or falling of the womb.

Constipation is produced from the same causes
as backache, together with the contributing
causes of sedentary habits, inactivity and errors
of diet. It is common to nine-tenths of all wo-
men, whether they have anything else the mat-
ter with them or not. It may be cured by wheel-
ing if it be caused by sedentary habits, inactivity,
errors of diet, or movable displacements that are
treated : but it will be only slightly relieved if
the additional conditions mentioned under back-
ache are present.

THE BICYCLE FOR WOMEN. 75

Headache goes hand in hand with backache.
It is sometimes the only symptom that a woman
will complain of. A celebrated professor of thera-
peutics has said there are fourteen kinds of head-
ache, and therefore fourteen causes of it. If
your headache is located in the top of your head,
and is more severe at the time of your period,
you may attribute it to your ovaries. If it oc-
curs in the front part of the head, through the
temple, look out for your stomach and cure
your constipation. If in the back of the head,
perhaps the entire contents of your pelvis are
chronically congested. Wheeling exerts a mark-
edly good influence on all kinds of headache.
The general toning up of the organs, the exhilara-
tion of the exercise, the change of the scene and
the fresh air have a more potent influence than
any drug.

Nervousness, hot flashes, cold hands and feet,
flushing, etc., are all manifestations of the
nervous system due to a local disturbance prob-
ably in the ovaries. ^

Hysteria is this nerve manifestation accentu-
ated. The name itself is derived from the Greek
word '* Hyster " meaning uterus, and applied by
the ancients to that profound disturbance of the
nervous equilibrium emanating from the uterus.

76 WHEELING.

Wheeling helps these nervous disorders by re-
lieving the nerve tension in much the same man-
ner as a locomotive ''blows off " its accumulated
steam, when it is at a standstill. If the steam
was retained an explosion would result. Hysteria
is an explosion of the nervous system and bicy-
cling is a newly invented safety-valve.

Malaise, or '' that tired feeling," or laziness,
whichever you wish to call it, is frequently caused
by an unhealthy cendition of the sexual organs,
coupled with constipation and inactivity of the
liver. It may also be caused by overwork, and
then the remedy is rest. Otherwise a little work
often cures that tired feeling. Some wit has
tersely said, ''If you feel tired, work it off."
The kind of tired feeling which wheeling helps
is that caused by indolence, — the stagnation of
the system's machinery. A ride in the open
country revivifies the whole system.

Leucorrhoea, or "whites," is not necessarily an
indication of weakness, as many suppose. When
you have a cold in your head, the nose secretes
abundant mucus, as is commonly known, and the
cause is understood. The neck of the womb se-
cretes a mucus, because there is a chronic con-
gestion present, and this secretion is Nature's
method of relief to it. Another cause may be

THE BICYCLE FOR WOMEN. 77

lacerations or tumors. When these are present,
bicycling will do more harm than good. Other-
wise wheeling is very beneficial to leucorrhoea.
The force at work here is the increased blood sup-
ply and the improved nutrition of all the pelvic
organs.

The bicycle is not a panacea for all the ills of
womankind. It has its limitations, and there are
certain conditions in which it will do absolute
harm.

Pelvic tumors of all kinds are a contra-indica-
tion to the use of the bicycle. From its use
these tumors may be stimulated to grow larger
by the increase in the blood supply to the
pelvis.

Acute inflammation should, of course, prohibit
the wheel, as should the condition of pregnancy.
Wheeling will also be much safer dispensed with
during the period of menstruation.

Lacerations of the pelvic floor should be repaired
before wheeling is attempted.

Adherent retroversion, or fixed backward dis-
placement of the womb, should be treated first,
the adhesions broken down and the uterus re-
placed before wheeling will be of service as a cura-
tive agent.

Wheeling is prejudicial to procidentia, or fall-

i Q WHEELING.

ing of the womb, and should not be practiced if
this condition is present.

The bicycle has been known to have a favorable
effect on the nervous disturbances of the meno-
pause, or change of life. It may seem to some
that forty-five years of age is rather late in life
to begin bicycle riding, but it is not an uncom-
mon sight to see gray-haired men and women
astride a wheel on the boulevards or pathways,
enjoying it as much as the youngest.

When a woman undertakes to ride a wheel, it
will pay her to remember the following tips :

Be careful to increase the length of the ride grad-
ually.

Always dismount and walk up steep hills.

Never go so fast that breathing becomes labored.

Never sit down on damp or cool ground when
heated.

Learn to use the pedals instead of the brake.

Best frequently during long rides and after
riding.

If the heart palpitates stop and rest.

The future of bicycling for women is even more
promising than its present is fulfilling. What
is done by the present generation will have its
effect on future generations. With healthier
women will come healthier children. And child-

THE BICYCLE FOR WOMEN. 79

bearing itself will be easier. As the health of
woman increases, she will acquire stronger mus-
cles and steadier nerves. Her menstrual periods
will tend to become painless. And last, but not
least, she will wear a more hygienic dress — an
epoch toward which the female world has been
struggling for a century.

80 WHEELING.

IV.— MOKALITY.

I have run across so much that has been said
and written derogatory to the bicycle as a moral
agent, and defamatory to the fair name of its
female devotees, and, meeting with none who has
had the temerity to defend them, I am impelled
to take up this theme with much hesitation, for
fear I may cause offence to some, but with the
hope that I may correct the wrong impressions of
many, if I may not convince all, and with the
firm conviction that my arguments are tenable
and are worth setting forth, even if they can be
disproved.

The moral side of bicycling has almost as much
to do with the physician as the physical side, for
morality is closely related to health. But aside
from this, a physician, by reason of his learning
and favorable opportunities for observation, has
a vantage ground from which he is a powerful
factor in molding public opinion.

The female riders are mostly concerned in the
morality of bicycling. By old tradition and long
custom, a woman is debarred from the moral

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MORALITY. 81

freedom that is accorded to man. Whether she
will ever demolish this difference is for the future
to tell. At the present time, a woman has to
consider very carefully the moral effect of every-
thing she does.

Since the bicycle became popular as an exercise
for women, hosts of social reformers and dema-
gogues have arisen to denounce it as an immoral in-
stitution. Newspapers and magazines have been
flooded with their arguments and assertions, and
anti-bicycle crusades have been launched, until it
was thought that surely such an evil would take
wings and fly away ; but, lo and behold, what is
the result ? — More women ride bicycles now than
ever before.

The most grievous and lamentable charge that
the anti-bicyclists make against the fair name of
the female riders is unfortunately not advisable
to take up for discussion in a book of this kind.
It has been discussed and argued and refuted in
the medical journals throughout the country, but
in spite of the fact that it has been proven to be
impossible, some people still think it a logical
sequence to riding the wheel.

The subject of short skirts has received more
attention and open discussion than any other of the
moral aspects of cycling. The reformers have

82 WHEELING.

harped upon this theme until it is threadbare.
The public has been impressed by their argu-
ments, but not influenced much, for shorter skirts
are now worn more than ever before.

When bicycling was first essayed by women,
everybody realized the danger that lurked in the
ordinary long skirt. All manner of devices was
invented to prevent the skirt from catching in the
wheel and pedals, but without success. Every
woman who rode the bicycle was in constant
danger of a serious fall. Then a few courageous
women abandoned the long skirt and donned a
shorter one, and were stared at and ridiculed by
the public. The public, however, soon realized
the good sense of the innovation, and then the
great crowd of female riders followed the suit
led by the brave pioneers, and short skirts be-
came a recognized essential to bicycling. The
pendulum of reform swung even further, as it
always will when once started. Some women
discarded skirts altogether, appearing in bloomers.
Others donned even tight knickerbockers, sweat-
ers, derbys, and rode diamond frame wheels, so
great was their zeal to shake off the enthralments
of femininity. This, however, was overdoing
the thing, and the public revolted. It was not
necessary to discard the skirt entirely, and there-

•^.zzi'iK.isa.-

PHOTO BY BUTLER

Female Scorcher— Male Attire— Diamond Frame Wheel— Ram's
Horn Handle Bars

— Pas^e 82.

MORALITY. 83

fore it was not universally done. A short skirt
was considered to be safe, appropriate and modest,
and it is now the recognized costume for female
cyclists.

It is amusing to observe the transitional stages
of a woman's conception of modesty, as she takes
up wheeling and progresses in it. At first a
skirt six inches off the ground is plenty short
enough. After wheeling a few weeks an addition-
al few inches are amputated, for she has found
that the skirt catches in the wheel and on the
pedals, and perhaps she has had a few falls there-
from. When she has been wheeling a few months
the skirt has shrunk to her knees, not from the ac-
tion of the elements, but by means of her scissors.
She will tell you, if interrogated, that her ideas
of modesty have changed. She no longer con-
siders it modest to endanger her life and health
for the sake of keeping a few inches of her leg
under cover.

All of which brings forcibly to mind the fact
that dress is merely an arbitrary custom, any way.
It is because we are brought up to regard women
as an exposition of dry goods, that we are so
wrought up when we become visibly aware that
a real live body exists beneath the drapery. There
are certain countries v/here clothing is not worn

84 WHEELING.

at all, and yet the honor and morality of the popu-
lace, considering their barbaric state, is better
than ours. The Greek historians tell us that,
during the reign of Lycurgus, the Spartan law-
giver, in G-reece, the '^younger women were en-
couraged to wear exceeding scanty costume, and
the virgins were accustomed to dance and sing
unclothed in the presence of the young men, in
the national festivals." This historian further
states that ^'by wearing the scanty garment, or
none at all, the Spartan girls had freedom in the
exercises of running, wrestling and throwing
quoits or darts, and their bodies became strong and
vigorous."

Plutarch, the famous moralizer, comments on
this custom as follows: *^ As for the virgins appear-
ing naked, there was nothing disgraceful in it,
because everything was conducted with modesty
and without one indecent word or action ; nay, it
caused a simplicity of manners and an emulation
for the best habit of body ; their ideas, too, were
naturally enlarged, while they were not excluded
from their share of bravery and honor."

But the United States is neither a cannibal
island nor the land of Lacedsemonia. We are gov-
erned by our inherited ideas on the subject of
modesty. If we are to be educated to a higher

MOKALITY. 85

plane of thougnt it must be done gradually. The
abbreviated bicycle skirt is the first step in that
direction.

When the reformers denounce the bicycle short
skirt, they overlook two other grosser evils in the
realm of modern dress. The bicycle costume does
not expose the person so much as either the ball
dress or bathing costume. In the ball dress the
neck and bosom, a portion of the back and the
arms are bare. In the bicycle no part of the body
is bare but the face. The bathing costume is a
more complete expose of nature than the ball
dress. Beside the parts that are bare, the entire
shape is revealed by the clinging suit, when it
is wet, and the legs are exposed far more than is
the case in the bicycle costume. Yet the public
has viewed with equanimity these two established
customs of dress, while decrying the growing
popularity of the short bicycle skirt. Not that any
of them, the ball dress or the bathing suit or the
bicycle costume, should be considered immodest : —
they are simply referred to here for the purpose
of comparison. The public has become used to
two of them, and they wiirget used to the third.
It is simply a case of getting used to it.

The subject of Sunday riding has enjoyed peri-
odical discussion every since the popularization of

86 WHEELING.

he bicycle. Arguments for and against it have
been hurled back and forth by prominent minds,
until now the general opinion, even of clergymen,
seems to be that cycling on Sunday is a far less
evil than many of the pleasurable pursuits here-
tofore regarded as not violating the Sabbath.
Carriage riding, traveling in cars, cabs or rail-
roads, or patronizing pleasure resorts, necessitates
work on the part of other people, the same and
more than they do on week-days. Bicycling re-
quires the labor of none save the rider him-
self— and he does not regard it as labor, but
pleasure.

Ministers have complained that Sunday bicycle
riding takes people away from the church services.
Supposing it does, is not the sermon in the brook,
the song in the throats of birds, the evidence of
God's handiwork in the trees, and grass, and
shrubbery, His smile in the warm sunshine, and
His caress in the cooling breeze, a good substi-
tute for a dry discourse on theology in a dark,
close church ?

There are a great many people who never have
opportunity for riding during the day, except on
Sunday. Night riding is not as pleasurable nor
as healthy as riding in daylight. These people are
refreshed and stimulated for the ensuing week's

MORALITY. 87

work by their ride into the open country on Sun-
day.

The claim that the Sunday bicycling crowds
are noisy, boisterous, profane, etc, has some
foundation in fact. Rome was not made in a day,
and a gentleman or lady cannot be made in a
season. Sunday is the one day in the week when
the masses have opportunity to ride. It is no
wonder that their joyousness at their unwonted
freedom and pleasure should be noisy and boister-
ous. Liberate a bird from a cage, and it too will
sing in gladness. Untie a dog and he will vent
his pent-up spirits by gamboling about you. The
human animal gets loose once a week and disports
himself awheel. Time, however, will effect a
change. When the novelty of the Sunday riding
wears off, quiet gentlemanly conduct will be as-
sumed by all, if it is only for the sake of appear-
ing well-bred.

Drinking on Sunday is not much indulged,
probably because prevented by law. Even if it
were not, saloons would not be patronized much
by wheelmen, because most of them realize that
liquor and the bicycle arS incompatible. It re-
quires a clear head to ride the bicycle. However
as long as there is evil in the world, it will flour-
ish in some places. Some men, and, sad to relate

88 WHEELING.

some women, will drink, whether they ride the
wheel or not. But the vast majority of bicyclists
drink to relieve thirst — drink soft drinks such as
lemonade, soda, etc. It is explained elsewhere
how hurtful this practice is.

Once in a while, one reads in the papers of a
young girl going out on her wheel, meeting a
chance acquaintance and being led astray. An
article in a recent medical journal tells of a
case in the writer's personal experience, where
a young woman in strange, picked-up company,
so far forgot herself as to drink a glass of wine,
which was drugged, and was then ' ^ marched off
for immoral purposes, amid the delight of her
captors."

Man}^ people jump at the conclusion that the
bicycle is responsible for such cases. The article
alluded to take this narrow view of it. The bi-
cycle is no more responsible for it than a horse and
carriage, or a flying-machine would be, for that
matter. It is true the bicycle gives to women
more freedom than they have heretofore enjoyed,
and it is not surprising that a few silly, weak-
minded women lose control of themselves when
they have liberty thus thrust upon them. Girls
of this kind have probably never been taught how
to take care of themselves, but have been closely

MORALITY. 89

guarded at home as though they were inmates of
at harem.

It is the proud boast of America, that her
women can take care of themselves wherever they
are, under all circumstances. It is not necessary
to lock her in a convent to protect her virtue.
Purity lies in character — not in lack of oppor-
tunity. This enviable trait of character in the
American woman has been fostered by the free-
dom which she has always enjoyed. The bicycle
is an extenuation of this freedom, and until they
get used to it, the new temptations that come
with it will find victims.

The practice of picking up aquaintances has not
been initiated by the bicycle. It has been com-
mon enough on the streets long before the bicycle
was known. Sensible girls know very well that
nothing good comes from meeting a man in this
manner, and sensible girls avoid flirting while
wheeling as well as while walking.

The charge has been made that the bicycle en-
genders a freedom of manners in women, quite
in contrast to all accepted ideas of retiring mod-
esty. At summer resorts she is wont to sit
around on the hotel porticoes in her bicycle cos-
tume, and chew gum and talk slang, etc. While
this may be considered by some immodest and

90 WHEELING.

unbecoming, it is, nevertheless, simply another
example of the exuberance and good -nature of
health. Bicycle women have ceased to be the
pale, frail, painted butterflies they used to be,
avoiding the sunshine as a pestilence, on account
of the damage it would cause their complexions.
What if the bicycle girl does sit around in com-
fortable clothing instead of in a long silk skirt
and tight corsets. What if she does chew gum
and talk slang as long as she reaps enjoyment
from it. There is enough misery in the world.

To sum up the morality of wheeling it may be
tersely said that '^ a lady is a lady wherever she
is." To decry wheeling because a few make bad
use of it, is to hold the dime of vice so close to
the eye that the dollar of virtue cannot be seen
beyond.

APPENDIX. 91

v.— APPENDIX.

1. How TO Select a Bicycle.

With so many bicycle manufacturers in the
field, each claiming his production to be superior
to all the others, it becomes a difficult matter for
even the experienced wheelman to decide which
make is the most reliable, the most serviceable,
the most perfectly constructed, and the most up
to date. The attractiveness of a low price has in-
duced many people to buy a shoddy machine,
constructed with the single view ^' to sell " and
sooner or later the buyer awakens to the fact that
he is sold. A rotten tire, a weak frame, a loose
rattling adjustment, a faulty saddle, are not only
uncomfortable — they are unsafe. It is very an-
noying to start out on an excursion with a party,
and after you have gone say ten miles, you are
left behind, on account of the collapse of your
rotten tire ; or to be the (5bject of criticism or ridi-
cule while riding along the boulevard on account
of your rattling or squeaking adjustment ; or to
suffer, perhaps serious injury from a mishapen

92 WHEELING.

saddle. It pays in the end to buy a good relia-
ble wheel, even if you have to pay more for it.
The cost of keeping a cheap wheel in repair will
eventually pay for the difference in price of a
good one.

Whatever make you select, there are several
things to consider in the choice of the frame,
gearing, etc. Your height, age, weight, sex,
strength, and the character of the country over
which you intend to ride, whether hilly or level,
smooth roads or cow-paths, sand or macadam.
It is a ridiculous sight to see a tall man perched
on a small-framed wheel, with his saddle and
handle bars hoisted way up in order to give his
long legs room to play. If you are tall have your
frame made large and vice versa.

The gearing is the hardest part of a bicycle to
understand, and consequently many mistakes are
made in the selection of the gearing. Properly
speaking, gearing means the mechanism by
which the bicycle is made to move. It consists
of two cog wheels, of different sizes, connected
by an endless chain. The proportionate sizes of
the wheels to each other gives the difference in
gearing. Numbers are employed to designate to
what height the wheel is geared. For instance,
if a wheel is geared to YO it means that, with one

APPENDIX. 93

revolution of the pedals, it will cover as much
ground, as an ordinary wheel 70 inches in dia-
meter. Wheels are now geared all the way
from 50 to 80. To find the gearing of a bicycle,
multiply the diameter of the rear wheel by
the number of teeth in the forward sprocket
and divide the result by the number of teeth in
the rear sprocket. Thus, for example, if the
diameter of the rear wheel is 28 in. and the front
sprocket has 20 teeth and the rear sprocket T
teeth, the gear will be 80, i. e. 28 X 20 -^ 7=80.

The gearing makes a good deal of diJfference in
the ease with which a bicycle is propelled. A
high gearing requires much more strength than
a low one. Especially is this fact made manifest
in hill climbing. Yet a high gearing is attractive
to many because the pedals do not make as many
revolutions in covering a given distance as in a
low-geared machine. Ordinary riders, however,
should avoid high gearing. The customary gear
for men is from 64 to 70 and for women from
59 to 68.

The length of the pedal crank should correspond
with the length of the -rider's leg. In fact, the
three parts of frame, gear and crank should vary
with each other, fitting the build of the rider. A
tall, long-legged rider should have a large frame

94 WHEELING.

wheel with a high gear (say 10) and a pedal crank
of 6| or 7 inches. A short man should of course
have the opposite, a crank of 6 or Q^ inches and a
gear of say 64. The cranks in ladies' wheels are
usually 6 inches and the gear about 60, but the
purchaser should insist on the proper adjustment
of the wheel to his or her person.

The saddle is next in importance to the size of
the adjustments. A bad saddle may not only be
uncomfortable but injurious. In the chapter for
women the proper female saddle is fully de-
scribed. For men the saddle should fit so that
it does not press on the soft parts. It should be
so well made that it will not sag or warp from
the weight, and so cause vicious ridges. In its
adjustment it should not be tilted so that the
seat slides forward on the narrow pommel. As
to the kind of saddle to get, whether softly padded
or hard, experience alone will guide you. If you
get a soft one at first you will change it for a
hard one after you have become proficient in
riding, because you will have learned to ride more
in your pedals than on your saddle.

A great variety of choice may be had in the shape
of handle bars. They are bent in every form from
the curved-up U to the ram's horn. The most ser-
viceable kind of handle bar, if you are going to

APPENDIX. 95

adopt the inclined position, is one curved down-
ward and backward. This shape permits of a
change in position of the hands while riding, by
removing them from the cork handles to the
center head. The handle bar should not be too
wide — the hands, when on the corks, being just
outside of the knees. Wooden handle-bars are
coming into vogue now. Their superiority has
not been proven as yet. They are more springy
than the steel ones, and they are said to lessen
jarring and consequent numbness of the hands
and arms. The adjustment of the handle bar
should be such that the cork handles are one-half
inch below the level of the saddle.

It is important to have a good tire on your
wheel. An otherwise perfect wheel may give
you lots of trouble from a rotten tire. The best
kind of tire is a single tube. It is more resilient
and easier to repair if punctured, than a double
tube or any of the patented tires. A large diameter
tire is better than a narrow one. It has been
proven to be less liable to puncture and is nicer
to ride on.

Toe-clips should be on e^ery bicycle and riders
should get used to them. Instead of being dan-
gerous, as many suppose, they are of decided
assistance both in ascending and descending hills.

96 WHEELING.

The pedals cannot be lost, as when no clips are
worn. Of course, one should learn to get out of
them quickly when compelled to dismount sud-
denly. This is effected by a little backward jerk
' of the foot before raising it from the pedal. Few
experienced wheelmen ride without the toe-clips
now-a-days.

Brakes are an abomination, and should never
be used. If a wheel is fitted with a brake the
rider becomes accustomed to it and relies upon it
when he ought to use his pedals or perhaps dis-
mount. It is like swimming with a life preserver
on: you will never know how to swim until you
take it off. Then a brake wears out tires quicker
than everything else. It also adds to the weight
of the wheel.

A bell, lamp and tool bag are three important
requisites. The law requires you to have the first
two, and the uncertain health of the bicycle should
induce you to take along the third. Have your
bell adjusted within reach of your thumb when
your hand is on the corks, and not on the center
head. Have your lamp when not lighted covered
with a waterproof bag. Get a good lamp, one
that throws a good light on the road and stays lit
when it is lighted. A popular position for the
lamp is on the front fork, close to the hub of the

APPENDIX. 97

wheel. The tool bag should contain a wrench,
a pump and connection, an oil can and a repair
outfit.

A tandem should meet all the requirements of a
single wheel. The gearing is especially impor-
tant because of the possible difference in power of
the two riders. A mixed tandem (for man and
woman) should have a gear of about 68. A male
tandem may be geared as high as 76, but 72 is
better for all ordinary riding and for riders unac-
customed to each other.

2. Care and Management of a Machine.

The proper care and management of a bicycle
is next in importance to the selection of it. Even
good wheels get out of order occasionally, and the
owner of one will save some expense and trouble
by knowing how to take a wheel apart and fix it.
In order to do this, a knowledge of the parts and
their adjustment is necessary. A close study
of a bicycle will impart more knowledge on this
subject than pages of written text. To learn how
to take a bicycle apart and. clean it, however, re-
quires some instruction.

The first thing to learn is the use of the monkey

wrench. This tool is always in requisition when
7

98 WHEELING.

tinkering on a bicycle. It should be carefully
fitted, so that each nut is held firmly before power
is used to loosen or fasten it. If this is not done,
the square nuts will become rounded and thereby
useless. When taking a wheel apart, begin
systematically laying the nuts and bolts down
just as they are taken off, to avoid mixing them.
Another precaution is to take off only one part at
a time, clean it and readjust it before touching
another part. If these rules are not observed,
much difficulty in fitting the different parts to
their proper places may result.

By far the most delicate and important parts of
a wheel's mechanism are its bearings. For this
reason great care should be exercised in keeping
them in good order. In spite of the many recent
improvements calculated to exclude all dust from
the bearings, dust will find its way in, and there-
fore cleaning becomes necessary.

Of course the best way to clean the bearings is
to take the wheel apart, wash them and replace
them. But everybody cannot take a wheel apart
and get it together again correctly, so that a sim-
pler method is necessary. Unless the bearings
are very dirty, the following procedure will render
them comparatively clean.

Lay the wheel down on two sticks which will

APPENDIX. 99

support it, so that the wheels can be revolved,
with the sprocket wheel up. Place a shallow pan
under the part you are going to clean. By means
of a long nozzle oil-can pour kerosene oil into
the crank and oil hole of the bearings and revolve
the pedal. Keep this up until the oil drips off
comparatively clear. Then wipe off all the visi-
ble kerosene, and let the wheel stand for some
time. Just before using it, be sure and oil all the
bearings with a good lubricating oil.

When the bearings are so dirty that it is ad-
visable to dismember the bicycle, be careful to
systematically arrange all the removed balls, nuts,
bars and bolts, so that they may be correctly re-
turned to their places. Each part should be thor-
oughly washed in kerosene, dried and polished.
In reassembling the parts, if one ball is lost, or the
nuts screwed too tight, or left too loose, the per-
fect mechanism of the wheel is destroyed, and it
will run hard, make queer noises and, worst of all,
wear down the balls, cones or barrels, so that
they become flat or uneven and making repairs
impossible.

The frequency of cleaning the bearings depends
on the make of the wheel, and upon the use of it
— whether it is ridden much or little and over
what kind of roads, whether dusty or not. Some

100 WHEELING.

makes of bicycles have their hearings more per-
fectly fitted than others. Manifestly this kind of
wheel will not need as frequent cleaning as one
having loose joints. Then if a wheel is ridden
every day over dusty roads it will become dirty
sooner than one ridden once a week over a clean
asphalt street. A good guide to the needed clean-
ing of the bearings is when the wheel begins to
run a little hard, the chain being all right and
the adjustment not too tight. In fact, the way
to tell whether a wheel is in perfect running order
is to suspend it and revolve the wheels. If they
revolve easily for a few minutes, gradually get-
ting slower and slower, until finally they swing
like a pendulum with the pump connection down,
the wheel is all right.

The bearings in the crank box need the most
attention ; next to these the hubs and then the
pedals. Many bicyclists never touch the pedal
bearings at all. It is better not to take them
apart ; flushing with kerosene and then liberal
oiling ought to be sufficient.

As to oiling, the common mistake is to oil too
frequently and profusely. The bearings work
better with just sufficient oil to lubricate them
than when deluged with it. If too much oil is
injected, it will run out and smear the parts and

APPENDIX. 101

attract all the dust in the neighborhood. Oiling
once a week is a good rule for ^ ' ordinary " riding.

The chain is the *^ bete noir " of the bicycle ad-
justment to many people. It seems to be constant-
ly out of order. This state of affairs is largely
produced by the ignorance or neglect of the wheel-
man in the care of the chain. Many riders do
not take the trouble to clean their chain, but sim-
ply smear it wth graphite, and expect it to work
all right. As a matter of fact, the chain needs
more cleaning than any other part of the wheel.
Occasionally it should be entirely disjointed and
soaked in kerosene. Generally, however, thor-
oughly wiping it with a soft cloth, then treating
it with kerosene while revolving the wheel, is
sufficient. After it is clean, properly oiling it
should take time and care. Each pin should
receive a drop of oil, no more. Then each block,
where it meets the tooth of the sprocket, should
receive a light smudge of graphite. The rest
of the chain should be dry. After thus apply-
ing the oil and graphite carefully, revolve the
wheels so that they may become well worked
in. A chain treated this way looks clean, works
well and needs cleaning less often than would
otherwise be the case.

The frame of a bicycle should have the dust

102 WHEELING.

wiped off it after every ride. In dry weather
this is all the attention it needs. But if mud has
collected and dried on it do not attempt to brush
off the mud until you have soaked it with a wet
sponge. You will thus avoid scratching the
enamel and making your wheel look shabby.

The rims should be treated, after a ride, in the
same manner as the frame, — cleansed of dust and
mud. The spokes should be likewise dusted and
rubbed with a soft cloth which has a little vase-
line on it. It would be well to have the spokes
renickeled once a year, to guard against rust.
The rims should be varnished as often if not
oftener.

The tires are a very important part of a bicycle.
Even if you buy a cheap wheel you should have
the very best tires on it. Then you should see
that the tires are firmly fastened to the rims.
If they are not, the tire will wear out quicker, and
besides, it may slip off and give you a bad fail.
To keep the tires in good condition it would be
well to sponge them after every long ride. Water
keeps them from hardening and cracking, and
also washes off the dirt thoroughly. This is all
the attention your tire will need until you get a
puncture. This may not happen once in a season,
but it is always well to be prepared for it, when

APPENDIX. 103

it does occur, so you should always take a repair
kit along with you. The best repair kit on the
market is the one containing a lot of little rubber
plugs like blunt tacks. To find the puncture is
sometimes a difficult matter. The best way is to
put a section of the tire under water and if bub-
bles arise the puncture is in that section. Another
way is to smear a film of soap over the suspected
point, and soap bubbles will proclaim the hole.

After mending a tire give it time to dry be-
fore using it. Then never leave it exposed to the
sun, as the cement is liable to melt.

Tires, when in use, should be pumped up hard.
When not in use, part of the air should be let
out. Contrary to the general opinion, it has
been proved that a fully inflated tire will not
puncture as easily as a soft tire.

Your lamp, when not in use, should be covered
with a bag made for the purpose out of water-
proof cloth. If you ride only in daylight, of
course you may dispense with carrying your
lamp, but it is well to take it along if you start
out in the afternoon, for you may be delayed
some place, and it is against the law to ride at
night without a light. Kerosene is now used in
nearly all the best lamps. It gives a better light
than other oils, without burning so much oil

104 WHEELING.

and with less smoke. If your lamp smokes with-
out apparent cause, soak the wick in vinegar,
dry it and the smoking will cease. Vinegar will
also clean the smut which collects on the outside
of every lamp. Some bicyclists drop a piece of
oamphor into the oil in their lamps, believing it
makes the flame whiter. This is a bad practice.
Camphor, burned, produces the blackest soot and
it will smoke your lamp all up. To keep a clear
flame, trim the wick frequently.

Always carry your tool bag with its full com-
plement of implements. These should be a
wrench, oil-can, screw-driver, pump with connec-
tion, and repair kit.

There remains but one thing more to say in
regard to caring for a wheel, and that is con-
cerning its storage for the winter. The first
thing is to clean it thoroughly, and the second is
to protect it in some manner from moisture, dust
and air. To clean it thoroughly it is necessary to
take it completely apart and go over each part
carefully. Then put it together and inflate the
tires half full of air. A simple plan to protect it
is to make a huge bag out of heavy wrapping
paper, sealing all the edges with glue, and put
the wheel within it. Seal the opening, and you
have a covering that is moisture and dust proof.

APPENDIX.
RELATIVE VALUE OF FOOD STUFFS.

106

ARTICLES.

FRUITS.

Apples

Cherries . . .

Currants

Dates

Figs

Pears

Prunes

Peaches

FISH.

Codfish ....

Clams

Eels

Herring . . .

Halibut

Lobsters

Oysters

Salmon . . . . ,

Smelts

Trout

GRAINS.

Barley ,

Buckwheat .

Corn

Oats

Rye

Wheat

MEATS.

Beef

Bacon

Chicken

Ham

Kidney . . .

Liver

Lard

Lamb

Mutton

Pork

Pigeon

As Mate-
rials for
Muscle
Makinsr.

Per Cent.

0.9
0 6
0.9
0.0
5.0
0.1
3.9
1.0

16.5
12.0
17.0
18.0
18.0
14.0
12.6
20.0
17.0
16.9

12.8
8.6

12.3

17.0
6.5

14.6

19.0
8.4
21.6
35.0
21.2
26.3
0.0
19.6
21.0
17.5
23.0

As Heat
Givers.

Per Cent.

10.1
21.0

6.8
73.7
57.9

9.6
78.6

5.4

1.0
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.8

52.1
53.0
67.5
50.8
75.2
66.4

14.0
62.5

1.9
32.0^

0.9'

3.9

100.0

14.3

14.0

16.0

1.9

As Food
for Brain.

Water.

Per Cent.

0.3
1.0
0.3
0.0
3.4
0.0
4.5
0.2

2.5

3.0
4.0
5.0
4.0
6.0
0.2
7.0
6.0
4.3

4.2
1.8
1.1
3.0
0.5
1.6

2.0
0.5
2.8
4.4
1.4
1.2
0.0
2.2
2.0
2.3
2.7

Per Cent

83.5
76.3
81.3
24.0
18.7
86.4
13.0
85.6

Time Re-
quired to-
Digest.

H

M.

2.30
2.00
3.00
3.15
3.30
1.30
2.50
2.30

80.0

2.00

85.0

2.45

75.0

3.50

75.0

3.50

74.0

2.45

79.0

4.00

87.2

2.30

74.0

3.30

75.0

3.15

78.0

2.45

14.0

2.00

14.2

2.15

14.0

3.15

13.6

3.00

13.5

2.00

14.0

1.30

65.0

3.30

28.6

4.00

23.7

3.45

28.6

4.00

76.5

3.50

68.6

3.50

0.0

3.45

63.9

3.30

63.0

3.40

64.3

4.00

72.4

3.45

106

WHEELDSTG.

ARTICLES.

As Mate-
rials for
Muscle
Making.

As Heat
Givers.

As Food
for Brain.

Water.

Time Re-
quired to
Digest.

MEATS.

Percent.

Per Cent.

Per Cent.

Per Cent.

H. M.

Suet

0.0
17.7
20.4

100.0
14.3

8.0

0.0
2.3

2.8

0.0
65.7

68.8

3.45

Veal

4.00

Venison

3.45

VEGETABLES.

Artichokes

1.9

19.0

1.8

76.6

3.00

Asparagus

Beans

0.6
24.0
1.1
1.2
3.6

5.4

40.0

12.2

6.2

4.6

0.4
3.5
1.0
0.8
1.0

93.6
14.8
82.5
91.3
90.0

2.15
4.00

Carrots

3.00

Cabbage

Cauliflower

4.00
2.15

Cucumber

0.1

t.7

0.5

97.1

4.00

Horse Radish

0.1

4.8

1.0

78.2

3.45

Lentils

26.0

39.0

1.5

14.0

3.15

Onions

0.5

5.2

0.5

93.8

2.15

Parsnips

Potatoes

2.1
1.4

14.5
15.8

1.0
0.9

79.4

74.8

2.00
2.15

Potatoes (sweet)

1.5

21.8

2.9

67.5

2.45

Peas

23.4
1.2

41.0

7.4

2.5
1.0

14.1
89.1

2.00

Radishes

2.15

Rice

5.1
1.2

82.0
4.0

0.5
0.5

9.0
90.4

1.45

Turnips

3.00

DAIRY PRODUCTS.

Butter

0.0
30.8

100.0

28.0

0.0

4.7

0.0
36.5

2.30

Cheese

4.00

Cream

3.5

4.5

0.0

92.0

2.15

Eggs (white of) . .
Eggs (yolk of)...
Milk . . ,

13.0
0.0
5.0

0.0

29.8
8.0

2.8
2.0
1.0

84.2
51.3
86.0

.30
3.00
2.00

>'ir.■^;•<.^,.T^^I^f^■■ •>«*^i>4;' .- ■'■^:i">.

THE PUBLIC LIBRARY

WASHINGTON, D. C.

y/j^ M3L9a..l

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ever caused, must be promptly adjusted by the person
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Fine for over detention, two cents a day (Sundays
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U. 3. OOVERNUEST TRINTINO OFFICE: 1929

9—1330

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